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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: key · mouse · rock · jam · stand · swing · bay · game

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. key — the most important part
  4. swing — music
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. key — in music
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rock — a stone
  23. game — wild animals
  24. stand — for spectators

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