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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: spell · pound · rash · key · foot · hide · branch · swing

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. key — in music
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. key — for a lock
  6. swing — music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. spell — magic
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. swing — in golf
  14. foot — a measure
  15. spell — letters
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. swing — to play on
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pound — a weight
  24. key — the most important part

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