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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 120 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. rock — a stone
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. track — a song
  11. rock — music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. key — in music
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. key — for a lock

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