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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: mark · mouse · lash · track · stick · tube · deal · key

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. tube — the underground
  4. key — the most important part
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. key — in music
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. track — to keep track
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — a song
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. tube — a container
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. track — a path
  24. mark — a grade

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