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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: bear · ball · chip · bat · lie · key · fork · racket

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bat — the animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. key — for a lock
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. chip — for betting
  23. key — in music
  24. ball — a dance

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