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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bore — to tire
  6. degree — temperature
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bore — to drill
  9. swing — to play on
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ball — a great time
  12. swing — music
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. degree — an amount
  17. swing — in golf
  18. degree — from a university
  19. cue — for pool
  20. charge — a price
  21. key — in music
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cue — a hint

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