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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rush — hurry
  10. swing — music
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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