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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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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 · mug · deal · pass · wound · prune · season · craft

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bound — tied together
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mug — to rob
  8. prune — to trim
  9. craft — a skill
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mug — a face
  13. wound — an injury
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. craft — boats
  20. season — of the year
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. season — in sport

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