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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.

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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: board · cabinet · craft · perch · fine · can · season · bound

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. can — to be able to
  3. season — of the year
  4. board — a committee
  5. bound — tied together
  6. can — a tin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. season — in sport
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. board — to get on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. craft — a skill
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. can — a tin
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fine — all right
  19. craft — boats
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bound — certain
  24. perch — the fish

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