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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 120 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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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 · bay · pound · racket · mine · cabinet · key · object

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. object — a thing
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mug — a face
  7. key — for a lock
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. object — an aim
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. key — in music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. object — to protest
  18. mug — to rob
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. key — the most important part

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