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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. cell — in biology
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cell — a phone
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. firm — steady
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bore — to tire
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. prune — to trim

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