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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cold — not warm
  12. rock — a stone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rush — hurry
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rock — music
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. cold — an illness
  22. key — in music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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