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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. can — to be able to
  3. key — for a lock
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. last — to go on
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. can — a tin
  8. pass — a permit
  9. swing — to play on
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. can — a tin
  12. last — final
  13. fine — high quality
  14. swing — music
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. club — for golf
  19. key — the most important part
  20. last — finally
  21. fine — all right
  22. key — in music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. plane — a tool

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