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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 120 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. content — the amount
  9. drill — army training
  10. content — happy
  11. drill — the tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bound — tied together
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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