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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cue — a signal
  5. key — in music
  6. mug — to rob
  7. hand — help
  8. cue — a hint
  9. hand — in cards
  10. mug — a cup
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cue — for pool
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. roll — a list
  15. mug — a face
  16. craft — boats
  17. roll — a cake
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. ball — a dance
  23. craft — a skill
  24. roll — on a roll

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