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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bound — obliged
  3. club — for golf
  4. race — a contest
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. race — humankind
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. band — a ring
  11. craft — a skill
  12. race — the arms race
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for dancing
  16. track — to keep track
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. craft — boats
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — a path
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. track — a song
  24. fan — to cool the air

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