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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. firm — steady
  5. row — to paddle
  6. firm — decided
  7. content — the amount
  8. swing — to play on
  9. object — a thing
  10. row — a line
  11. track — a path
  12. swing — music
  13. firm — a company
  14. content — happy
  15. object — to protest
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. track — to keep track
  18. object — an aim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. track — a song
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — to fit

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