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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. key — the most important part
  7. race — humankind
  8. branch — a division
  9. drill — a practice
  10. race — the arms race
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. kid — to tease
  13. race — a contest
  14. key — in music
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cue — a hint
  21. kid — child
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. rush — a thrill

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