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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cue — a signal
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cue — for pool
  6. suit — to fit
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bass — low music
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cue — a hint
  15. face — to confront
  16. bass — the fish
  17. date — the fruit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. face — to point toward
  20. track — a path
  21. suit — in cards
  22. key — the most important part
  23. face — part of the head
  24. 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