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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cue — a hint
  3. suit — to fit
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. tube — a container
  12. rock — music
  13. track — a path
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. key — in music
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rock — a stone
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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