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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. club — for golf
  3. swing — music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. game — a match
  6. club — a group
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. swing — in golf
  9. game — wild animals
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. roll — a list
  15. squash — to crush
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. key — in music
  18. squash — the sport
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. roll — a cake
  24. squash — the vegetable

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