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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bound — certain
  6. swing — music
  7. mug — a cup
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bound — tied together
  10. net — for catching
  11. snap — to click
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mug — to rob
  14. net — in sport
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mug — a face
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. swing — in golf
  23. net — after costs
  24. bound — obliged

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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