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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.

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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: key · straw · leaves · mouse · dip · racket · fork · roll

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fork — in a road
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. key — in music
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. key — the most important part
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. roll — a list
  16. key — for a lock
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. roll — a cake
  24. leaves — lets stay

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