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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bound — certain
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lean — thin
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bass — the fish
  9. drill — the tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — in a road
  13. drill — a practice
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bass — low music
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bound — tied together
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. craft — boats
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com