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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: straw · kick · coach · can · mark · rash · saw · key

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mark — a grade
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mark — a trace
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. kick — in football
  12. rash — a series
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. key — the most important part
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. key — in music
  24. mark — to pay attention

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