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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. suit — clothes
  4. swing — music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pass — a permit
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bound — certain
  13. bulb — for light
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. present — a gift
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. swing — in golf
  19. present — the time now
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — there
  24. pass — to spend time

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