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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 120 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. drill — army training
  3. present — the time now
  4. court — of a king
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wake — a trail
  11. court — of law
  12. bound — certain
  13. present — a gift
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bound — obliged
  16. swing — music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bound — tied together
  19. court — for sport
  20. present — there
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — a practice

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