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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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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. can — to be able to
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — to trim
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. key — in music
  18. sharp — clever
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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