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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. key — in music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bore — to tire
  7. key — the most important part
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — music
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. swing — in golf
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. suit — clothes
  20. key — for a lock
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. leaves — to go away

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