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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. spring — the season
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. current — happening now
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. spring — a coil
  9. key — for a lock
  10. present — the time now
  11. mark — a trace
  12. present — there
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — electric
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a grade
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. swing — music
  20. current — of water
  21. spring — of water
  22. present — a gift
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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