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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mate — a friend
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. key — the most important part
  5. content — happy
  6. cue — for pool
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cue — a hint
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. branch — a division
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mate — to breed
  17. key — for a lock
  18. content — the amount

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