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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. last — final
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cell — in biology
  5. firm — steady
  6. last — finally
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. firm — decided
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. last — to go on
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cell — a phone
  24. firm — a company

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