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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.

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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 · can · snap · wave · fork · racket · lash · pitcher

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. can — a tin
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. snap — to click
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. key — for a lock
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. key — in music
  15. can — a tin
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. can — to be able to

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