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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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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: bowl · bound · swing · lean · chest · straw · net · bay

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. chest — of your body
  3. net — in sport
  4. bound — tied together
  5. swing — in golf
  6. chest — a box
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. net — for catching
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. swing — music
  11. bound — certain
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lean — thin
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lean — to bend
  20. net — after costs
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bay — a horse colour

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