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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bound — certain
  6. object — a thing
  7. bound — obliged
  8. object — to protest
  9. swing — in golf
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. roll — a list
  12. swing — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bound — tied together
  17. suit — in cards
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — an aim
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. fork — a garden tool

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