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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. land — to come down
  3. bound — tied together
  4. race — a contest
  5. land — a country
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a city
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bound — certain
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. race — the arms race
  17. land — ground
  18. fork — in a road
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bound — obliged
  21. race — humankind
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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