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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
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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: court · cap · bat · lash · can · branch · key · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cap — of ice
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bat — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. court — for sport
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. key — in music
  16. court — of law
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. can — a tin
  20. court — of a king
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. key — the most important part
  24. can — to be able to

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