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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: toast · rock · racket · date · cabinet · key · roll · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — the most important part
  6. toast — bread
  7. bass — low music
  8. rock — music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. key — for a lock
  12. date — the fruit
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. roll — a list
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rock — a stone
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. key — in music
  24. roll — on a roll

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