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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 116 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: bear · snap · pass · swing · bowl · bound · pit · pound

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bear — the animal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bear — the animal
  15. swing — in golf
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. swing — music
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pit — a hole
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pass — to spend time

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