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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. branch — a division
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. row — to paddle
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. shower — to wash
  7. pop — music
  8. shower — rain
  9. row — a line
  10. can — to be able to
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pop — to visit
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. key — in music
  22. pop — soda
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. lash — an eyelash

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