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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 · fine · chair · roll · racket · chest · toast · prune

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. toast — bread
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. roll — a cake
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. prune — to trim
  8. key — for a lock
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chest — of your body
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fine — all right
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. roll — a list
  21. chest — a box
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fine — high quality

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