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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: ground · bound · charge · wake · jam · stock · craft · safe

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bound — certain
  3. ground — crushed
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bound — obliged
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. charge — electricity
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bound — tied together
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ground — the earth
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — shares
  16. charge — in control
  17. craft — boats
  18. ground — a position
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stock — goods
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. craft — a skill
  24. charge — a price

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