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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. swing — to play on
  3. suit — to fit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bound — obliged
  6. spell — a short time
  7. suit — clothes
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. swing — music
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. swing — in golf
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spell — magic
  24. chair — a professorship

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