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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
468
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: mouse · key · bat · bank · dip · plane · swing · hide

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. key — in music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. plane — a tool
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bank — of a river
  10. swing — music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. dip — to sink
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bank — for money
  16. key — for a lock
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bank — for money
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — the animal

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