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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 · bulb · pop · kid · key · suit · lie · sharp

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. pop — music
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. key — in music
  5. kid — child
  6. sharp — clever
  7. lie — to recline
  8. swing — music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. swing — in golf
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bulb — for light
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — soda
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pop — to visit
  19. kid — to tease
  20. key — the most important part
  21. swing — to play on
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. sharp — exactly
  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