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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 116 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: dip · face · key · fine · track · swing · ball · march

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. key — in music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. track — to keep track
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ball — a dance
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fine — high quality
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fine — all right
  16. track — a song
  17. march — music
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. ball — a great time
  23. track — a path
  24. swing — to play on

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