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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. swing — in golf
  4. key — the most important part
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bank — for money
  8. wind — moving air
  9. key — in music
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. pop — music
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bank — of a river
  16. swing — music
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wind — moving air
  19. game — a match
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. suit — clothes
  24. key — for a lock

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