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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — music
  3. clip — to cut
  4. firm — decided
  5. track — to keep track
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — for paper
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. firm — steady
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. track — a song
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — a path
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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