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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. key — in music
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cap — of ice
  10. club — for dancing
  11. cue — for pool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wax — to grow
  14. club — a group
  15. cap — a lid
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. kick — in football
  23. club — for golf
  24. cabinet — ministers

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