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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. swing — music
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. swing — to play on
  6. race — humankind
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. key — the most important part
  12. board — a committee
  13. squash — the sport
  14. race — a contest
  15. squash — to crush
  16. race — the arms race
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mug — a cup
  19. foot — a measure
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mug — a face
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. board — to get on

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