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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 · racket · bark · rush · fine · pound · calf · fork

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. key — the most important part
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fine — high quality
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. key — in music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fine — all right
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pound — a weight

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