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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 124 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ground — the earth
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. swing — to play on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. swing — in golf
  18. ground — crushed
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — to handle
  22. key — the most important part
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ruler — a monarch

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