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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. key — for a lock
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. key — the most important part
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cue — for pool
  8. degree — from a university
  9. mate — a partner
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rule — government
  12. cue — a hint
  13. key — in music
  14. fork — in a road
  15. degree — temperature
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rule — a law
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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