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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. key — in music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pass — a permit
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — a division
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. key — the most important part
  15. swing — music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rock — a stone
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. lean — thin
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rock — music

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