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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bound — certain
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. club — for golf
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. swing — music
  11. bound — obliged
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wound — an injury
  14. face — to confront
  15. club — a group
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pass — a permit
  19. club — for dancing
  20. face — part of the head
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fine — all right
  24. bound — tied together

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