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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: bay · spring · band · can · key · racket · wake · bat

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. wake — a trail
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. key — in music
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. can — a tin
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. can — to be able to
  17. key — for a lock
  18. spring — the season
  19. bat — the animal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. can — a tin
  23. band — a ring
  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