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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. roll — a cake
  8. swing — to play on
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. firm — steady
  12. swing — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — for betting
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. rest — what's left
  18. scale — size or range
  19. stock — goods
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. scale — in music
  24. stock — shares

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