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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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. firm — a company
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pitch — completely
  7. tear — from crying
  8. swing — music
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. firm — steady
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. firm — decided
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. scale — in music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. snap — to click

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