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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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. spell — magic
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cue — for pool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. spell — a short time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. key — in music
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. spell — letters
  23. pass — to succeed
  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