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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. race — humankind
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ground — the earth
  11. swing — to play on
  12. race — a contest
  13. suit — clothes
  14. snap — to click
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ground — a position
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. race — the arms race
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. suit — to fit

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