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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. swing — music
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. perch — the fish
  7. swing — to play on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. capital — money
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. firm — decided
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. firm — steady
  16. bore — to drill
  17. capital — a city
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. firm — a company
  21. bore — to tire
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. chest — a box
  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