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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. cue — for pool
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. key — in music
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fine — high quality
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. face — to confront
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fine — all right
  24. key — for a lock

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