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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.

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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: key · rush · clip · toast · swing · stick · deal · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. clip — to cut
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. swing — music
  8. clip — a video
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. key — for a lock
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. scale — in music
  14. toast — bread
  15. swing — in golf
  16. key — in music
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. swing — to play on
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. clip — for paper
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — for weighing

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