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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. swing — music
  3. race — a contest
  4. bound — tied together
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cue — a signal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bore — to drill
  14. saw — the tool
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — a hint
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. cue — for pool

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