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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wound — an injury
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. track — to keep track
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mark — a trace
  12. track — a path
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. cue — a hint
  15. snap — to click
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. track — a song
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. key — the most important part
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cue — a signal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mark — to pay attention

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