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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wake — a trail
  3. club — for golf
  4. lean — thin
  5. key — the most important part
  6. firm — steady
  7. key — in music
  8. firm — a company
  9. club — a group
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. club — for dancing
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ruler — a monarch

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