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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. key — in music
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rock — music
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pop — music
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pop — soda
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bowl — to roll

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