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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fork — in a road
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — in music
  10. stem — to come from
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. hand — help
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. hand — in cards
  24. key — the most important part

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