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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. swing — music
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. field — farmland
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. deal — to handle
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. field — a subject
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. field — for sport

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