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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: bound · craft · ground · race · object · fine · saw · temple

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ground — crushed
  5. craft — boats
  6. saw — the tool
  7. object — a thing
  8. bound — obliged
  9. fine — all right
  10. bound — certain
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. object — to protest
  16. race — humankind
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. race — a contest
  19. ground — a position
  20. object — an aim
  21. ground — the earth
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. craft — a skill
  24. race — the arms race

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