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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. key — for a lock
  3. club — a group
  4. shower — rain
  5. suit — in cards
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bore — to drill
  9. court — of law
  10. court — of a king
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cue — a signal
  16. key — in music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. key — the most important part
  20. club — for golf
  21. suit — clothes
  22. court — for sport
  23. bore — to tire
  24. suit — to fit

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