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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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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. cue — a signal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cue — a hint
  6. ball — a dance
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. key — the most important part
  14. toast — bread
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cue — for pool
  17. key — for a lock
  18. 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