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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · clip · key · racket · sharp · spell · cabinet · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. clip — to cut
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — a trace
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. spell — a short time
  11. sharp — clever
  12. clip — a video
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mark — a grade
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. clip — for paper
  24. racket — for tennis

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