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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: mug · tear · key · stick · mouse · season · court · ball

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. tear — from crying
  3. court — of law
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. court — of a king
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mug — a face
  9. tear — to rip
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. court — for sport
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. key — in music
  15. mug — to rob
  16. season — in sport
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. season — of the year
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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