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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. swing — in golf
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. squash — the sport
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bound — tied together
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bound — certain
  17. swing — to play on
  18. squash — to crush
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bat — the animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bore — to drill

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