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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · mine · swing · nail · rock · cabinet · fine · bound

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rock — music
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bound — certain
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pop — soda
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pop — music
  13. swing — music
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pop — to visit
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fine — all right
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fine — high quality

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