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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. swing — music
  3. craft — boats
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. charge — in control
  6. dip — to sink
  7. craft — a skill
  8. swing — to play on
  9. fall — the season
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bear — the animal
  12. swing — in golf
  13. fall — to drop
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. charge — a price
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fall — to drop
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stem — of a plant

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