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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
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: mug · ball · bank · arm · racket · rule · nail · key

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. key — for a lock
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rule — a law
  5. bank — for money
  6. mug — a cup
  7. key — in music
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a dance
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. key — the most important part
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mug — a face
  24. rule — government

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