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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: roll · key · saw · lie · bear · racket · wound · pass

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. lie — to recline
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. roll — a list
  14. wound — an injury
  15. saw — the tool
  16. key — for a lock
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. wound — an injury
  21. key — in music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. roll — a cake

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