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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: perch · spring · swing · bound · squash · pass · suit · mouse

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. swing — music
  3. spring — the season
  4. swing — to play on
  5. squash — the sport
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bound — certain
  8. suit — to fit
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. suit — clothes
  15. spring — of water
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. spring — a coil
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bound — tied together

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