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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. chest — a box
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chest — of your body
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. roll — a list
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mine — for digging
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chest — of your body

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