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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. court — of a king
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. object — an aim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. tube — a container
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cue — for pool
  13. object — to protest
  14. court — for sport
  15. key — in music
  16. court — of law
  17. tube — the underground
  18. key — the most important part
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — a thing
  21. cue — a signal
  22. snap — to click
  23. sharp — clever
  24. key — for a lock

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