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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.

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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: lean · racket · pop · kick · can · stock · key · ground

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pop — soda
  3. kick — in football
  4. key — the most important part
  5. can — a tin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. stock — goods
  9. can — to be able to
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ground — a position
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pop — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lean — thin
  19. pop — to visit
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stock — shares
  22. ground — crushed
  23. can — a tin
  24. key — in music

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