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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. swing — in golf
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bound — tied together
  5. swing — to play on
  6. ground — crushed
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — in football
  9. bound — certain
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ground — a position
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bound — obliged
  14. board — to get on
  15. ground — the earth
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. swing — music
  20. board — a committee
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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