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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. lie — to recline
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. net — after costs
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cue — for pool
  15. net — in sport
  16. mate — to breed
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cue — a signal
  20. key — for a lock
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. net — for catching

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