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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.

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: face · bore · cell · craft · firm · racket · bound · sharp

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. face — part of the head
  5. firm — a company
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. craft — a skill
  8. firm — steady
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. firm — decided
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. craft — boats
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bound — certain
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. face — to confront
  21. cell — in biology
  22. bound — tied together
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bound — obliged

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