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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 116 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. bound — certain
  2. suit — clothes
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bound — tied together
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bound — obliged
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fine — high quality
  20. swing — to play on
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for golf
  23. plane — a tool
  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