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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 116 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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. row — a line
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. swing — to play on
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bound — certain
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bound — tied together
  12. fine — all right
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rock — music
  17. squash — to crush
  18. swing — music
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fine — high quality

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