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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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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. swing — music
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. pound — a weight
  11. season — of the year
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. season — in sport
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. key — for a lock
  19. branch — a division
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. swing — to play on
  24. key — in 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