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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: track · nail · snap · key · swing · toast · perch · pitch

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. key — the most important part
  3. track — a path
  4. snap — to click
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — the fish
  7. swing — to play on
  8. track — to keep track
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. toast — bread
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pitch — completely
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. key — in music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. track — a song
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. swing — music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. toast — the most admired

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