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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: craft · bass · rock · ruler · spell · bay · bound · ground

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spell — letters
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bound — obliged
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bound — certain
  13. ground — a position
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. spell — a short time
  16. craft — boats
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rock — music
  20. spell — magic
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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