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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: mug · rash · club · staff · ball · key · swing · season

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mug — a face
  4. season — of the year
  5. mug — to rob
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. staff — employees
  9. swing — to play on
  10. club — for golf
  11. swing — music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rash — a series
  15. season — in sport
  16. club — a group
  17. staff — a stick
  18. key — in music
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. staff — employees
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rash — hasty
  24. season — to add flavour

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