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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 120 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. saw — the tool
  6. swing — to play on
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bank — for money
  10. present — there
  11. degree — an amount
  12. key — in music
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bank — for money
  15. present — a gift
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bank — of a river
  20. present — the time now
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. saw — the tool
  23. degree — from a university
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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