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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: swing · deal · pitch · key · spell · trunk · rash · current

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. spell — letters
  3. deal — to handle
  4. current — happening now
  5. rash — a series
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rash — hasty
  8. spell — magic
  9. key — the most important part
  10. current — electric
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. key — in music
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — of water
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. key — for a lock
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pitch — completely
  22. swing — to play on
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. swing — music

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