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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. pop — to visit
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fine — all right
  6. can — a tin
  7. chair — a leader
  8. can — to be able to
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. band — a music group
  13. cue — a signal
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — a tin
  18. cue — a hint
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. club — for dancing
  22. cue — for pool
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. band — a ring

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