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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. swing — music
  4. mate — a friend
  5. key — in music
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. mate — a partner
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. swing — to play on
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. swing — in golf
  15. kid — to tease
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. mate — to breed
  20. kid — child
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rush — hurry

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