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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. suit — to fit
  5. key — in music
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. key — the most important part
  9. suit — in cards
  10. object — an aim
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bat — the animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. band — a music group
  16. suit — clothes
  17. object — to protest
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. band — a ring
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. object — a thing

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