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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. bound — obliged
  6. content — happy
  7. craft — a skill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. bound — certain
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. net — in sport
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spring — of water
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bound — tied together
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. craft — a handicraft

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