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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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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. key — for a lock
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. season — in sport
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. key — the most important part
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. kick — in football
  21. staff — a stick
  22. key — in music
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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