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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. squash — the sport
  3. march — the month
  4. bound — certain
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mug — a cup
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. march — music
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. swing — in golf
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fine — high quality
  13. swing — to play on
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fine — all right
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. swing — music
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mug — a face
  21. march — the month
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bound — obliged
  24. tear — from crying

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