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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mug — a face
  5. season — in sport
  6. sharp — clever
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mug — to rob
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. charge — a price
  12. craft — a skill
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bound — certain
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. degree — from a university
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. degree — temperature
  20. charge — in control
  21. firm — decided
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mug — a cup
  24. degree — an amount

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