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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 120 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: firm · cap · lash · bound · craft · pit · squash · land

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cap — a lid
  3. craft — boats
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bound — obliged
  6. land — a country
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. squash — to crush
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. firm — a company
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. land — to come down
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. cap — a hat
  16. firm — decided
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pit — a hole
  19. firm — steady
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bound — tied together
  23. land — ground
  24. lash — to lash out

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