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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: fan · bass · pass · straw · capital · swing · can · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pass — a permit
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. capital — a city
  8. can — a tin
  9. swing — music
  10. bass — low music
  11. key — in music
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. key — the most important part
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. can — to be able to
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. capital — money

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