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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: racket · clip · hand · bulb · lean · can · key · stick

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. lean — thin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. key — in music
  7. clip — for paper
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. clip — a video
  12. can — a tin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bulb — for light
  21. clip — to cut
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. key — the most important part
  24. lean — to rest against

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