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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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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: suit · roll · key · bat · racket · rock · kick · last

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bat — the animal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. suit — to fit
  11. last — to go on
  12. rock — music
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. suit — clothes
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. roll — a list
  24. suit — in cards

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