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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. key — for a lock
  4. drill — a practice
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. drill — the tool
  8. key — in music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. season — in sport
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cold — not warm
  16. drill — army training
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. season — of the year
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. key — the most important part
  23. swing — in golf
  24. cold — an illness

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