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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rest — a break
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. tube — the underground
  11. swing — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. swing — to play on
  16. key — in music
  17. tube — a container
  18. band — a ring
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a music group
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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