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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. key — in music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. hand — help
  6. mug — a face
  7. game — a match
  8. firm — decided
  9. drill — a practice
  10. court — of law
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. court — of a king
  13. game — wild animals
  14. drill — army training
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. firm — steady
  18. court — for sport
  19. key — for a lock
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. firm — a company
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mug — to rob

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