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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 120 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: stick · stock · wave · swing · pass · key · clip · mouse

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. swing — music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. swing — in golf
  6. clip — to cut
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stock — shares
  13. clip — for paper
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. clip — a video
  17. key — in music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stock — goods
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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