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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: swing · safe · pitcher · object · cue · firm · bound · rule

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cue — a signal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. swing — in golf
  10. object — a thing
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — a company
  14. cue — a hint
  15. firm — steady
  16. rule — a law
  17. swing — music
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bound — certain
  23. rule — government
  24. firm — decided

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