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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 120 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. key — in music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. key — for a lock
  8. club — a group
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. degree — from a university
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — to fit
  14. degree — temperature
  15. degree — an amount
  16. suit — clothes
  17. current — of water
  18. ball — a dance
  19. current — electric
  20. key — the most important part
  21. club — for dancing
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. swing — music
  24. suit — in cards

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