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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. swing — music
  3. net — for catching
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — for a lock
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. swing — in golf
  10. net — after costs
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. perch — the fish
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. spell — a short time
  16. net — in sport
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. swing — to play on
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — magic
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — the most important part
  24. hide — to keep secret

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