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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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. key — the most important part
  6. club — for golf
  7. key — in music
  8. last — to go on
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. club — for dancing
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. club — a group
  15. scale — size or range
  16. key — for a lock
  17. scale — in music
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. last — final
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. last — finally

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