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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. court — for sport
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. can — a tin
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. court — of a king
  18. swing — music
  19. drill — a practice
  20. court — of law
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. foot — a measure

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