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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. club — for dancing
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. club — a group
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ground — crushed
  15. swing — music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. club — for golf
  18. chip — to eat
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. swing — to play on
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ball — a dance

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