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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fine — high quality
  4. land — ground
  5. rash — hasty
  6. fine — all right
  7. land — to come down
  8. rash — a series
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bound — certain
  16. saw — the tool
  17. land — a country
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. saw — the tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. swing — to play on
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. safe — a strongbox

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