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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cell — in biology
  3. file — a document
  4. swing — in golf
  5. file — a line of people
  6. last — finally
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. swing — music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. roll — a list
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bound — certain
  13. last — final
  14. cue — a signal
  15. last — to go on
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. swing — to play on
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cell — a phone
  21. file — a tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bound — obliged

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