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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
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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: kid · racket · wake · ball · key · firm · degree · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. firm — a company
  3. degree — from a university
  4. key — in music
  5. kid — child
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ball — a dance
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. kid — to tease
  14. firm — decided
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. degree — temperature
  17. degree — an amount
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — steady
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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