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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. scale — size or range
  3. swing — to play on
  4. key — in music
  5. last — to go on
  6. swing — music
  7. scale — in music
  8. suit — to fit
  9. last — final
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. key — for a lock
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bound — obliged
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — in cards
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. swing — in golf
  20. suit — clothes
  21. last — finally
  22. bound — certain
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fan — a supporter

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