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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 · calf · stick · scale · firm · pit · racket · rule

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. firm — a company
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rule — a law
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. key — the most important part
  8. firm — decided
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. scale — in music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. firm — steady
  16. key — for a lock
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. scale — size or range
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. key — in music
  22. rule — government
  23. pit — in a race
  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