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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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pop — soda
  5. swing — in golf
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pop — music
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. bear — the animal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. swing — music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. track — a path
  21. rush — hurry
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. track — a song
  24. season — in sport

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