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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: ball · mark · key · spell · swing · safe · jam · mine

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mark — a grade
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mine — for digging
  13. key — in music
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — a trace
  17. swing — music
  18. spell — a short time
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. spell — magic
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. key — for a lock

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