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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bank — for money
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. toast — bread
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bank — of a river
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. key — the most important part
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a great time
  17. key — for a lock
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. degree — temperature
  21. key — in music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. degree — an amount

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