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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 120 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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. firm — steady
  3. track — a path
  4. face — part of the head
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. swing — music
  8. face — to confront
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — to play on
  11. firm — a company
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. row — to paddle
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. row — a line
  17. face — to point toward
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. firm — decided
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. swing — in golf

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