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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — in golf
  6. march — the month
  7. bound — obliged
  8. swing — music
  9. object — an aim
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bark — to shout
  12. object — a thing
  13. march — the month
  14. spell — a short time
  15. object — to protest
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bound — certain
  18. season — of the year
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. swing — to play on
  24. march — music

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