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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: racket · object · key · cue · present · ground · stand · bore

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. object — a thing
  3. bore — to tire
  4. present — a gift
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stand — to bear
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ground — a position
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. cue — a hint
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. key — the most important part
  15. present — there
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ground — the earth
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. present — the time now
  22. ground — crushed
  23. cue — for pool
  24. key — in music

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