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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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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: mark · pit · swing · bulb · bay · key · deal · last

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pit — in a race
  5. last — finally
  6. last — to go on
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. key — for a lock
  9. swing — music
  10. pit — a hole
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bulb — for light
  16. last — final
  17. bulb — for light
  18. key — in music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mark — a trace
  24. deal — a big deal

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