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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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. key — for a lock
  3. present — a gift
  4. pop — soda
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — a signal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. present — the time now
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bore — to tire
  16. key — in music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. present — there
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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