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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: fine · bowl · straw · firm · swing · key · object · bear

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. key — in music
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. swing — in golf
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. swing — music
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. firm — steady
  10. fine — all right
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. swing — to play on
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — a company
  16. object — to protest
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. firm — decided
  24. bowl — a football final

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