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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bass — low music
  6. track — a path
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fine — high quality
  9. key — the most important part
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. key — in music
  12. rash — hasty
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rash — a series
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. track — a song
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ground — a position

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