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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. land — a country
  3. bound — tied together
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. season — in sport
  7. can — to be able to
  8. board — a committee
  9. rock — a stone
  10. craft — boats
  11. land — to come down
  12. rock — music
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. object — an aim
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. bound — obliged
  20. land — ground
  21. can — a tin
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. season — of the year

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