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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 partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bound — certain
  6. swing — music
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. present — the time now
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. present — a gift
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. march — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mark — a grade
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mark — to pay attention

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