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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  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. court — of law
  2. swing — in golf
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. swing — to play on
  6. file — a line of people
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. court — of a king
  10. bound — certain
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. file — a tool
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. file — a document
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. swing — music
  19. bound — obliged
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. court — for sport
  22. bound — tied together
  23. deal — to handle
  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