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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.

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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. kid — child
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — to play on
  6. current — electric
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bass — low music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bass — the fish
  14. saw — the tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. board — to get on
  17. current — of water
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. key — for a lock
  20. swing — music
  21. current — happening now
  22. key — the most important part
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. board — a committee

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