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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: rock · spell · sharp · wave · craft · chair · roll · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. rock — a stone
  5. craft — boats
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. roll — a list
  9. rock — music
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. spell — a short time
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bound — tied together
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. craft — a skill
  20. spell — letters
  21. sharp — clever
  22. spell — magic
  23. chair — a leader
  24. roll — a cake

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