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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bass — the fish
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. firm — steady
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bass — low music
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. craft — boats
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bound — tied together
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. firm — decided
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bound — obliged
  23. saw — the tool
  24. dip — a sauce

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