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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: swing · foot · lash · bound · craft · dip · roll · date

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. craft — a skill
  5. roll — a list
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. swing — in golf
  11. dip — to sink
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. swing — to play on
  14. roll — a cake
  15. foot — a measure
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. date — the fruit
  21. swing — music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. craft — boats
  24. foot — part of the body

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