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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. key — in music
  3. rock — music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. game — a match
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. cue — a hint
  8. key — for a lock
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. snap — to click
  11. cue — a signal
  12. key — the most important part
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. game — wild animals

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