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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bass — the fish
  4. race — a contest
  5. track — to keep track
  6. race — humankind
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. swing — music
  10. track — a song
  11. bass — low music
  12. club — a group
  13. track — a path
  14. club — for golf
  15. key — in music
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — the most important part
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — for a lock
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. club — for dancing
  24. swing — to play on

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