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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: key · mug · object · toast · racket · spell · club · stock

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. object — to protest
  3. spell — letters
  4. key — for a lock
  5. club — a group
  6. mug — a cup
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stock — goods
  10. key — the most important part
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mug — a face
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. spell — magic
  16. mug — to rob
  17. toast — bread
  18. stock — shares
  19. object — a thing
  20. key — in music
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. object — an aim
  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