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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. court — of a king
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. swing — in golf
  5. key — for a lock
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. court — for sport
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. perch — the fish
  11. swing — music
  12. march — music
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. march — the month
  15. swing — to play on
  16. key — the most important part
  17. court — of law
  18. key — in 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