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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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. content — videos and posts
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. cue — a signal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pit — in a race
  8. key — for a lock
  9. can — a tin
  10. cue — for pool
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. court — of law
  15. content — the amount
  16. can — a tin
  17. content — happy
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. cue — a hint
  21. roll — a list
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. roll — a cake

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