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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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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: key · safe · bay · straw · wave · swing · foot · pound

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. swing — music
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. swing — to play on
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. foot — a measure
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. foot — part of the body

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