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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. rash — hasty
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rash — a series
  5. fine — high quality
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. game — a match
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. fine — all right
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. swing — to play on
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wake — a trail
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. swing — music
  21. game — wild animals
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rash — on the skin
  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