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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: current · swing · key · pass · dip · chest

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. swing — in golf
  4. key — for a lock
  5. swing — music
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. current — of water
  9. dip — to sink
  10. chest — of your body
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. current — electric
  15. swing — to play on
  16. current — happening now
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. chest — a box

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