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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. present — a gift
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bank — for money
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. present — the time now
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. present — there
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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