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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pop — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pop — soda
  9. can — a tin
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. land — ground
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. land — to come down
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cue — for pool
  17. can — a tin
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. land — a country
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. can — to be able to
  23. row — a line
  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