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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. swing — music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. swing — to play on
  8. suit — in cards
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bound — certain
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bound — tied together
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. object — to protest
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. object — a thing
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. object — an aim
  24. coach — a trainer

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