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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · straw · date · swing · race · ruler

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. date — the fruit
  4. key — in music
  5. swing — music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. swing — in golf
  9. race — the arms race
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. swing — to play on
  18. date — on the calendar

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