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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. court — of law
  4. saw — the tool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. object — a thing
  7. roll — a list
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. court — for sport
  14. object — to protest
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. key — in music
  17. court — of a king
  18. object — an aim
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cue — a hint
  22. roll — a cake
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pitch — completely

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