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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. swing — in golf
  3. present — a gift
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. roll — a list
  6. swing — music
  7. present — the time now
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bound — obliged
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bulb — for light
  14. march — the month
  15. bound — certain
  16. march — the month
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. march — music
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. ruler — for measuring

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