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

Word bank: tear · racket · root · swing · firm · fine · chair · foot

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. swing — to play on
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. firm — decided
  6. swing — in golf
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. root — the cause
  10. tear — from crying
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — of a plant
  13. firm — a company
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — steady
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. chair — a leader
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. root — of a word
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. swing — music

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