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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. key — for a lock
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. staff — employees
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — help
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pop — soda
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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