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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spring — the season
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spring — of water
  9. last — final
  10. spring — a coil
  11. prune — to trim
  12. swing — music
  13. last — finally
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fine — all right
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. fine — high quality

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