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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rule — a law
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lean — thin
  8. content — the amount
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — the most important part
  13. content — happy
  14. lean — to bend
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bear — the animal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. rule — government
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. key — in music

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