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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. suit — in cards
  3. key — the most important part
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spell — a short time
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. drill — army training
  8. spell — magic
  9. wind — moving air
  10. drill — a practice
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. drill — the tool
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cue — for pool
  16. suit — clothes
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. key — in music
  19. wind — moving air
  20. spell — letters
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  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