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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. firm — a company
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. swing — music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. board — to get on
  13. fine — all right
  14. swing — in golf
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. key — the most important part
  19. chest — a box
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bulb — for light
  24. board — a committee

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