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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 116 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: fine · fan · racket · deal · perch · leaves · cue · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. deal — to handle
  6. key — in music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fine — all right
  12. key — the most important part
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cue — for pool
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cue — a signal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. leaves — of a tree

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