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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: stand · key · swing · ground · pound · club · bay · season

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. key — in music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. swing — in golf
  10. ground — crushed
  11. season — in sport
  12. club — for golf
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ground — a position
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stand — to bear
  22. swing — music
  23. ground — the earth
  24. club — for dancing

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