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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. suit — to fit
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rest — a break
  8. wake — a trail
  9. cue — for pool
  10. band — a music group
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. band — a ring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. key — in music
  18. pop — soda
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pop — to visit
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pop — music
  24. key — the most important part

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