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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 116 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 · straw · can · key · squash · ball · march · net

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. can — a tin
  4. squash — to crush
  5. net — for catching
  6. can — to be able to
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. squash — the sport
  11. key — in music
  12. march — the month
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. ball — a great time
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. squash — the vegetable

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