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

Word bank: stem · swing · ruler · saw · ground · pop · key · wave

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pop — music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. key — in music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stem — to come from
  16. swing — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. ground — a position
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. ground — crushed

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