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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: land · wound · rock · can · mark · key · mug · fork

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — a country
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rock — music
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. land — ground
  23. mug — a face
  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