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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · ruler · pit · mouse · land · wave · firm

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. land — to come down
  7. firm — decided
  8. land — ground
  9. bound — obliged
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pit — a hole
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. firm — steady
  20. craft — boats
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. firm — a company
  24. land — a country

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