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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. key — for a lock
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. row — a line
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. key — in music
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. swing — music
  15. rock — music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rush — hurry
  19. key — the most important part
  20. row — to paddle
  21. rock — a stone
  22. scale — in music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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