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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. suit — to fit
  4. key — the most important part
  5. present — the time now
  6. key — in music
  7. cue — for pool
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. key — for a lock
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a great time
  13. present — there
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. tear — to rip
  16. ball — a dance
  17. suit — clothes
  18. present — a gift
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. vault — a safe
  22. suit — in cards
  23. sharp — clever
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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