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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.

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: mate · racket · field · mouse · key · pitcher · deal · squash

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. squash — the sport
  4. key — the most important part
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — for sport
  7. mate — a partner
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. field — a subject
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. key — in music
  22. mate — to breed
  23. deal — to handle
  24. squash — to crush

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