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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cue — a signal
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. drill — a practice
  6. track — to keep track
  7. firm — steady
  8. present — there
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. swing — in golf
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lean — thin
  13. track — a song
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. cue — for pool
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. track — a path
  23. lean — to bend
  24. firm — a company

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