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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. firm — decided
  5. swing — to play on
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. swing — in golf
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pound — a weight
  13. firm — a company
  14. key — in music
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. firm — steady
  19. rock — music
  20. swing — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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