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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stock — shares
  4. swing — music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — to crush
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stock — goods
  12. swing — in golf
  13. firm — decided
  14. foot — a measure
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — in music
  18. firm — steady
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. squash — the sport
  21. swing — to play on
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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