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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
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: bound · pit · craft · pop · coach · clip · band · ruler

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bound — obliged
  5. clip — for paper
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a hole
  10. band — a ring
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bound — certain
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pop — soda
  16. craft — boats
  17. clip — to cut
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. band — a music group
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. clip — a video

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