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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 120 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: racket · safe · fork · coach · lie · spring · key · wake

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spring — of water
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. spring — a coil
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wake — a trail
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fork — in a road
  12. key — for a lock
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. spring — the season
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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