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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: face · deal · drill · key · racket · track · toast · can

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. track — a song
  3. drill — the tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. can — to be able to
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. can — a tin
  12. face — to confront
  13. deal — to handle
  14. face — part of the head
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. can — a tin
  19. drill — a practice
  20. face — to point toward
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. drill — army training
  24. racket — a loud noise

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