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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
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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: board · arm · wound · craft · mark · bound · chair · suit

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bound — tied together
  3. craft — a skill
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bound — certain
  12. suit — clothes
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wound — an injury
  15. board — to get on
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. board — a committee
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bound — obliged
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. craft — boats

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