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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bound — certain
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. capital — money
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. game — wild animals
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bound — tied together
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bound — obliged
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. game — a match
  24. capital — a city

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