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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. key — for a lock
  3. march — the month
  4. chest — a box
  5. march — music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rest — a break
  8. march — the month
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rest — what's left
  16. key — in music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. key — the most important part
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pound — a weight
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. chest — of your body
  24. deal — a big deal

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