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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wake — a trail
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. key — the most important part
  8. kid — to tease
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. kid — child
  12. present — a gift
  13. key — for a lock
  14. present — the time now
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. key — in music
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pop — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pop — soda
  24. present — there

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