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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. key — the most important part
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cue — a hint
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. sharp — clever
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. key — in music
  13. game — a match
  14. row — a line
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. game — wild animals
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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