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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. swing — in golf
  4. race — the arms race
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chest — of your body
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wind — moving air
  10. swing — music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fall — to drop
  13. race — humankind
  14. swing — to play on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. race — a contest
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. board — to get on
  20. chest — a box
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chest — of your body

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