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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: perch · deal · key · suit · cell · foot · swing · fine

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. perch — the fish
  4. key — in music
  5. foot — a measure
  6. fine — high quality
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — for a lock
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. suit — to fit
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cell — a phone
  21. deal — to handle
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cell — in biology
  24. suit — in cards

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