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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.

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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. march — the month
  3. fine — high quality
  4. root — the cause
  5. spell — magic
  6. march — music
  7. spell — letters
  8. toast — bread
  9. root — of a word
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — in music
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fine — all right
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. march — the month
  21. cap — a lid
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. root — of a plant
  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