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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · craft · can · coach · bore · bay · toast · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. toast — bread
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bore — to tire
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. craft — boats
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bound — obliged
  14. can — a tin
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bound — certain
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. present — there
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. present — the time now

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