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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 · sharp · swing · mark · kick · lean

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. swing — in golf
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — in music
  7. swing — music
  8. kick — in football
  9. mark — a grade
  10. lean — thin
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. key — for a lock
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lean — to bend
  15. swing — to play on
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. kick — with a leg

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