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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cue — for pool
  3. club — for golf
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cue — a hint
  7. roll — a list
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. key — in music
  10. root — of a word
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. key — for a lock
  14. roll — a cake
  15. root — of a plant
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. root — the cause
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. club — for dancing
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. club — a group
  24. cue — a signal

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