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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. key — the most important part
  4. court — of law
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. key — in music
  9. shower — to wash
  10. wake — a trail
  11. court — for sport
  12. cue — a hint
  13. shower — rain
  14. firm — decided
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cue — for pool
  17. firm — a company
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. court — of a king
  21. key — for a lock
  22. firm — steady
  23. ball — a dance
  24. deal — an agreement

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