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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: roll · fork · kid · key · snap · rush · suit · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. fork — in a road
  4. key — the most important part
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. suit — in cards
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rush — hurry
  9. kid — child
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. kid — to tease
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. roll — a list
  15. key — in music
  16. roll — a cake
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mug — a cup
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mug — a face
  24. snap — to click

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