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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. firm — steady
  6. net — in sport
  7. firm — a company
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. firm — decided
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. net — after costs
  17. swing — in golf
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. net — for catching

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