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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. key — for a lock
  3. land — to come down
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rock — music
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. deal — to handle
  17. key — in music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cue — a hint
  22. land — a country
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. land — ground

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