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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — for pool
  3. band — a music group
  4. race — a contest
  5. key — for a lock
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. cue — a hint
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. key — in music
  23. band — a ring
  24. key — the most important part

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