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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. club — for dancing
  3. swing — in golf
  4. race — humankind
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. race — the arms race
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. firm — a company
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. club — for golf
  12. race — a contest
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. present — a gift
  15. row — a line
  16. present — there
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. club — a group
  20. present — the time now
  21. swing — music
  22. firm — steady
  23. swing — to play on
  24. deal — to handle

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