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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — for a lock
  3. suit — in cards
  4. key — in music
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. roll — a list

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