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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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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: foot · swing · bound · content · lie · perch · drill · racket

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. drill — a practice
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bound — obliged
  9. lie — to recline
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. content — happy
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. content — the amount
  17. bound — tied together
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. perch — the fish
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bound — certain

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