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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: kick · rush · key · bat · suit · net · toast · pass

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. key — in music
  3. net — in sport
  4. suit — in cards
  5. key — the most important part
  6. suit — to fit
  7. net — after costs
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. net — for catching
  15. pass — a permit
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. suit — clothes
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pass — to succeed

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