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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. track — a path
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. drill — a practice
  9. wind — moving air
  10. firm — decided
  11. swing — in golf
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — steady
  15. track — to keep track
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. swing — to play on
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. track — a song
  22. drill — army training
  23. firm — a company
  24. foot — a measure

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