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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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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: bound · fan · mouse · chair · drill · swing · racket · rest

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bound — tied together
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chair — a leader
  14. drill — army training
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. drill — a practice
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. swing — in golf
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. swing — to play on
  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