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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. track — a path
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. staff — employees
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — a trail
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bound — tied together
  16. track — a song
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cap — a hat
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. craft — boats
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bound — obliged

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