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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. root — the cause
  5. pass — a permit
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. mine — for digging
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. root — of a word
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. key — in music
  16. kid — to tease
  17. cue — for pool
  18. kid — child
  19. toast — bread
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. key — for a lock
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pass — to spend time

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