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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: racket · fork · rock · arm · face · suit · key · bear

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. key — in music
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. face — part of the head
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fork — in a road
  15. rock — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. suit — clothes
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bear — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  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