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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: bound · branch · pitcher · racket · straw · season · key · kick

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. key — for a lock
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bound — tied together
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bound — certain
  9. key — in music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. branch — a division
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. season — in sport
  15. key — the most important part
  16. season — of the year
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. kick — in football
  23. bound — obliged
  24. racket — a loud noise

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