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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. clip — a video
  4. kick — in football
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. swing — to play on
  7. clip — for paper
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. key — in music
  11. saw — the tool
  12. swing — music
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. clip — to cut
  16. key — for a lock
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. dip — to sink
  24. key — the most important part

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