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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bound — certain
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. march — the month
  7. suit — to fit
  8. swing — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. swing — in golf
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — to get on
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pitch — completely
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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