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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — the most important part
  4. swing — in golf
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. key — in music
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pop — to visit
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pound — a weight
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. key — for a lock
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. toast — bread
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pop — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — music
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cap — of ice
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pop — soda

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