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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. craft — boats
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rock — music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bound — obliged
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bound — certain
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. track — a song
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bound — tied together
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cell — a phone
  23. wake — a trail
  24. track — a path

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