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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stand — to bear
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bat — the animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rest — a break
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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