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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
468
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 · swing · chest · leaves · nail · degree · bass · stick

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. key — for a lock
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. chest — a box
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. swing — in golf
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. degree — from a university
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. degree — an amount
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. key — in music
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bass — low music
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. swing — music
  22. chest — of your body
  23. key — the most important part
  24. nail — on a finger

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