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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. present — a gift
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bound — certain
  6. can — a tin
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. swing — in golf
  9. present — there
  10. track — a song
  11. wound — an injury
  12. present — the time now
  13. can — to be able to
  14. plane — a tool
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bound — obliged
  17. key — the most important part
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wound — an injury
  21. track — a path
  22. key — in music
  23. track — to keep track
  24. can — a tin

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