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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rock — a stone
  4. firm — decided
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rock — music
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. row — to paddle
  9. kid — child
  10. firm — a company
  11. race — a contest
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — a line
  14. firm — steady
  15. race — humankind
  16. swing — to play on
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. kid — to tease
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. swing — music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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