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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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. key — in music
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fall — the season
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. can — to be able to
  13. fall — to drop
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fall — to drop
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — a tin
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. can — a tin

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