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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: racket · scale · wound · can · key · court · chip · rock

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. court — of a king
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. chip — for betting
  5. key — the most important part
  6. wound — an injury
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rock — music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. court — of law
  12. scale — in music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. chip — to eat
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. scale — size or range
  20. court — for sport
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rock — a stone
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. key — in music

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