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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · pass · key · rush · scale · racket · swing · hide

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. swing — to play on
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pass — a permit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rush — hurry
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. scale — in music
  18. content — the amount
  19. scale — size or range
  20. key — in music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. content — happy
  24. scale — for weighing

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