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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bound — obliged
  3. swing — music
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ball — a great time
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bound — tied together
  8. present — the time now
  9. pit — in a race
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. craft — boats
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pit — a hole
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ball — a dance
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. present — there
  23. bound — certain
  24. hide — to keep secret

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