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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pop — soda
  4. key — in music
  5. bore — to drill
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pop — to visit
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. bore — to tire
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cue — for pool
  23. spring — the season
  24. stand — to bear

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