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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. net — in sport
  4. rash — hasty
  5. swing — music
  6. rash — a series
  7. key — the most important part
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. tear — to rip
  12. net — after costs
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. net — for catching
  18. key — in music
  19. tear — from crying
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. key — for a lock

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