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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. swing — in golf
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. swing — music
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. dip — to sink
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. march — music

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