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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 124 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bound — tied together
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. craft — boats
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. hand — in cards
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bound — certain
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bulb — for light
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bound — obliged
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rock — music

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