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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fine — high quality
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. key — in music
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rock — a stone
  19. cell — a phone
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rock — music
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. swing — to play on

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