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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wind — moving air
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. firm — decided
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. root — the cause
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. firm — steady
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. firm — a company
  17. ball — a dance
  18. swing — music
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. root — of a plant
  21. deal — to handle
  22. root — of a word
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wind — moving air

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