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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fall — the season
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fall — to drop
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. swing — music
  16. current — happening now
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. current — of water
  22. hand — in cards
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. current — electric

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