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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. swing — to play on
  3. key — in music
  4. swing — music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — temperature
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. degree — from a university
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. swing — in golf
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. scale — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. scale — for weighing

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