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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bound — obliged
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — the time now
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bound — certain
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. present — a gift
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. present — there
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bound — tied together
  23. ball — a great time
  24. swing — music

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