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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: key · staff · kick · rest · racket · net · pitcher · leaves

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. net — after costs
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. net — for catching
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rest — what's left
  8. key — for a lock
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rest — what's left
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. staff — employees
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. net — in sport
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rest — a break
  20. staff — a stick
  21. kick — in football
  22. key — in music
  23. staff — employees
  24. leaves — of a tree

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