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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cue — for pool
  4. date — the fruit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pop — music
  7. rash — a series
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. key — in music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pop — soda
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pop — to visit
  22. band — a ring
  23. cue — a hint
  24. date — on the calendar

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