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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. foot — a measure
  13. land — to come down
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — a phone
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. suit — clothes
  18. land — ground
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. swing — in golf
  21. land — a country
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. race — a contest

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