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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: fan · date · snap · leaves · key · swing · dip · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. snap — to click
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. key — in music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. club — for golf
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. date — the fruit
  19. key — the most important part
  20. dip — to sink
  21. swing — to play on
  22. club — a group
  23. key — for a lock
  24. dip — a sauce

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