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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 120 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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. key — in music
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. spell — letters
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cue — a hint
  19. foot — a measure
  20. court — of law
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cue — a signal
  23. spell — magic
  24. pitcher — a jug

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