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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · swing · key · cue · plane · wave · bowl · row

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cue — a signal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. game — a match
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. game — wild animals
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. key — the most important part
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. swing — music
  24. wave — of the sea

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