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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. suit — to fit
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cue — a hint
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. race — the arms race
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. suit — clothes
  17. race — humankind
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ball — a great time
  22. race — a contest
  23. track — to keep track
  24. key — the most important part

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