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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · bound · rule · swing · chair · wake

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. swing — music
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bound — obliged
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. chair — a leader
  16. craft — boats
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on

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