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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. kick — in football
  2. bass — the fish
  3. swing — music
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bass — low music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. vault — a safe
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. present — there
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  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