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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. swing — music
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stand — to bear
  8. swing — in golf
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mark — a trace
  12. firm — steady
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. court — of a king
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. firm — a company
  18. court — for sport
  19. rush — hurry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. court — of law
  22. row — a line
  23. swing — to play on
  24. stand — on your feet

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