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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 · present · swing · craft · bass · drill · jam · pitch

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. swing — music
  6. craft — boats
  7. present — the time now
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bass — low music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. present — there
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. craft — a skill
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — a practice
  17. present — a gift
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. key — in music
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pitch — completely
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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