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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bear — the animal
  5. court — of a king
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. spring — of water
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. key — for a lock
  10. craft — boats
  11. key — in music
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. spring — the season
  14. swing — to play on
  15. court — of law
  16. rock — music
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pass — a permit
  19. court — for sport
  20. rock — a stone
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bear — the animal
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bear — to put up with

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