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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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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. swing — music
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. scale — size or range
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rush — hurry
  12. swing — in golf
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. wind — moving air
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. scale — in music
  23. fan — a supporter
  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