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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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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 · toast · key · spell · ground · safe · jam · rest

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — a short time
  3. toast — bread
  4. rest — a break
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. spell — magic
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ground — the earth
  10. key — in music
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ground — crushed
  15. key — for a lock
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. swing — music
  18. ground — a position
  19. spell — letters
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. swing — to play on
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. jam — a tight spot

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