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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 120 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: leaves · key · pitch · ruler · swing · wake · pound · game

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. game — a match
  3. key — in music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. swing — in golf
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pitch — completely
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. swing — music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pound — a weight
  21. swing — to play on
  22. key — for a lock
  23. game — wild animals
  24. pound — for dogs

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