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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: mug · wound · chip · foot · key · branch · ball · racket

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. foot — a measure
  4. key — the most important part
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ball — a great time
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. key — in music
  9. chip — to eat
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ball — a dance
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. branch — a division
  14. chip — for betting
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mug — a face
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mug — to rob
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. racket — for tennis

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