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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. firm — steady
  3. track — to keep track
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — to play on
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. present — the time now
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. club — a group
  11. present — a gift
  12. club — for dancing
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. track — a song
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. swing — music
  18. track — a path
  19. present — there
  20. firm — a company
  21. wound — an injury
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — for golf
  24. firm — decided

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