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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: swing · key · jam · can · bat · ruler · track · cabinet

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bat — the animal
  4. can — a tin
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. can — a tin
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. track — a song
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — to keep track
  15. swing — music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. key — in music
  24. track — a path

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