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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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. key — for a lock
  3. race — the arms race
  4. swing — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pop — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. firm — decided
  13. net — for catching
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. race — humankind
  16. net — after costs
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. net — in sport
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. race — a contest
  23. firm — a company
  24. bat — the animal

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