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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. key — for a lock
  4. swing — music
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. swing — to play on
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cold — not warm
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cold — an illness
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bowl — to roll

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