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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. key — for a lock
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. game — wild animals
  9. mate — to breed
  10. craft — boats
  11. cue — for pool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. game — a match
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mate — a friend
  24. key — in music

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