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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rock — a stone
  7. game — wild animals
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. game — a match
  16. chest — a box
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rock — music
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. chest — of your body
  23. cue — a hint
  24. game — a kind of play

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