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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. suit — in cards
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pitch — completely
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. swing — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. track — a path
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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