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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · lean · cap · swing · bound · bore · kick · perch

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. swing — to play on
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. swing — music
  6. fine — all right
  7. bound — obliged
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lean — to bend
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bound — tied together
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. swing — in golf
  20. lean — thin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. kick — in football
  24. cap — a hat

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