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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. track — to keep track
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bear — the animal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. track — a path
  9. suit — to fit
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — in cards
  12. key — in music
  13. kick — in football
  14. current — of water
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bat — in an idiom

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