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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. swing — in golf
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. swing — music
  6. board — a committee
  7. wake — a trail
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bound — certain
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pass — a permit
  16. snap — to click
  17. board — to get on
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bound — obliged
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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