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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cue — a signal
  3. key — in music
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. field — farmland
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. key — the most important part
  16. field — a subject
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. field — for sport
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mine — for digging

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