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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: mate · leaves · craft · drill · chip · pass · straw · bound

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mate — to breed
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mate — a friend
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. craft — a skill
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. craft — boats
  16. bound — certain
  17. drill — the tool
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mate — a partner
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — army training

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