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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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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: swing · nail · coach · game · deal · pass · press · key

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — for a lock
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. game — wild animals
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. press — to push
  9. key — in music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. swing — music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. game — a match
  18. key — the most important part
  19. swing — to play on
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. deal — to handle
  22. press — newspapers
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. press — a publisher

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