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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 116 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: cabinet · key · swing · stem · pop · wave · suit · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. key — in music
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. swing — music
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pop — soda
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cabinet — ministers

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