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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. swing — to play on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. current — electric
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. hand — help
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. current — happening now
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bound — certain
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. cue — a hint
  18. swing — music
  19. bound — obliged
  20. hand — in cards
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. cue — a signal
  23. current — of water
  24. swing — in golf

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