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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. prune — to trim
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pit — in a race
  11. sharp — clever
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bound — obliged
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bound — certain
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cabinet — ministers

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