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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. key — the most important part
  3. game — a match
  4. cap — a lid
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cap — of ice
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. key — in music
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. game — wild animals
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. key — for a lock
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. cap — a hat

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