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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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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 · rock · mark · rush · bulb · mouse · racket · court

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mark — a trace
  5. court — of a king
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rock — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. court — for sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. key — the most important part
  19. court — of law
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rush — a thrill

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