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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: saw · plane · bound · bore · fine · craft · suit · last

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fine — all right
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. craft — boats
  9. last — final
  10. bound — tied together
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. suit — clothes
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. suit — in cards
  24. saw — the tool

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