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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.

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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. chair — a leader
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. season — in sport
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. sharp — clever
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bound — certain
  18. swing — music
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bound — tied together
  23. swing — in golf
  24. pass — to succeed

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