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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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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: cell · rule · bound · straw · craft · suit

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rule — government
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rule — a law
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bound — tied together
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bound — obliged
  17. cell — a phone
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

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