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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bound — obliged
  8. swing — to play on
  9. suit — in cards
  10. dip — to sink
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rush — hurry
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bound — certain
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bark — to shout
  22. swing — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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