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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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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: rest · bound · key · season · bowl · net · mug · swing

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rest — a break
  3. mug — a face
  4. net — for catching
  5. swing — to play on
  6. key — for a lock
  7. season — in sport
  8. key — in music
  9. net — in sport
  10. bound — obliged
  11. swing — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. net — after costs
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. mug — a cup
  24. swing — in golf

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