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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. cue — a hint
  5. key — the most important part
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. cue — a signal
  9. root — of a word
  10. club — a group
  11. mate — a friend
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fork — in a road
  14. root — the cause
  15. key — in music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. cue — for pool

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