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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. swing — in golf
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. last — to go on
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. last — final
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. last — finally
  17. key — in music
  18. roll — a list
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. swing — music
  21. roll — a cake
  22. kick — in football
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mouse — the animal

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