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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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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 · straw · mark · lie · fine · key · prune · kick

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. swing — in golf
  5. key — in music
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mark — a grade
  8. key — for a lock
  9. fine — high quality
  10. kick — in football
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. prune — to trim
  13. swing — to play on
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fine — all right
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lie — to recline
  23. swing — music
  24. straw — a straw man

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