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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. key — for a lock
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. net — for catching
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. face — to confront
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. current — of water
  15. rash — hasty
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rash — a series
  18. face — part of the head
  19. net — in sport
  20. mug — a cup
  21. key — in music
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. face — to point toward
  24. swing — music

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