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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. club — a group
  6. bound — certain
  7. track — a song
  8. bear — the animal
  9. track — to keep track
  10. club — for golf
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bound — obliged
  14. swing — music
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. track — a path
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bark — of a tree
  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