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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. swing — in golf
  4. firm — a company
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. present — a gift
  7. swing — music
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. object — to protest
  15. present — the time now
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stem — to come from
  18. present — there
  19. object — an aim
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. object — a thing
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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