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

Word bank: key · racket · fine · pound · bass · file · pit · fork

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. file — a document
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pound — a weight
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fine — all right
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. key — for a lock
  20. file — a tool
  21. bass — low music
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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