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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · firm · swing · object · game · pit · chair · deal

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. firm — a company
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pit — a hole
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rash — a series
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. object — a thing
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. firm — steady
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pit — in a race
  14. swing — in golf
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chair — a leader
  18. object — an aim
  19. game — wild animals
  20. firm — decided
  21. object — to protest
  22. game — a match
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. game — a kind of play

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