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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bass · net · saw · key · club · fork · pop

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bass — low music
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. club — a group
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pop — soda
  11. net — for catching
  12. key — the most important part
  13. net — after costs
  14. pop — to visit
  15. key — in music
  16. pop — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. club — for golf
  22. saw — the tool
  23. net — in sport
  24. club — for dancing

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