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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bound — obliged
  5. swing — music
  6. bound — tied together
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mate — a partner
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bound — certain
  17. net — for catching
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. chair — a leader
  21. net — after costs
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. suit — to fit

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