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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 · safe · ground · craft · pitch · nail · bass · object

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ground — crushed
  4. object — an aim
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bass — the fish
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. object — to protest
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ground — a position
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — a thing
  16. craft — boats
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bass — low music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ground — the earth
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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