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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. spring — of water
  3. track — a path
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — in music
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cue — a signal
  15. spring — the season
  16. tube — the underground
  17. track — a song
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. spring — a coil
  23. tube — a container
  24. cabinet — ministers

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