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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 · stick · racket · dip · nail · tube · spell · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. key — the most important part
  5. tube — a container
  6. spell — letters
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spell — a short time
  10. dip — to sink
  11. track — a path
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — the underground
  16. key — for a lock
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. track — a song
  19. key — in music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. spell — magic
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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