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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. root — of a word
  4. cue — a hint
  5. kid — child
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. root — the cause
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rest — a break
  15. key — in music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lie — to recline
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — to cut
  20. kid — to tease
  21. clip — for paper
  22. cue — a signal
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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