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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · mouse · mine · wake · charge · racket

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mine — for digging
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. charge — a price
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. charge — in control
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. key — in music

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