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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: bowl · racket · firm · chip · lean · key · fork · spell

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. firm — a company
  3. lean — to bend
  4. chip — to eat
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — decided
  7. spell — letters
  8. key — the most important part
  9. chip — for betting
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lean — thin
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. firm — steady
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — magic

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