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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pit — in a race
  7. swing — music
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pit — a hole
  21. swing — in golf
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. craft — boats
  24. ball — a dance

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