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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
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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 · fork · wound · sharp · land · bowl · suit · swing

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. suit — clothes
  3. sharp — clever
  4. swing — in golf
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wound — an injury
  8. suit — in cards
  9. key — in music
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. swing — to play on
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. land — to come down
  16. key — for a lock
  17. land — a country
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. swing — music
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. suit — to fit
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wound — an injury

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