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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. mug — a face
  2. key — in music
  3. cue — for pool
  4. root — of a word
  5. cue — a signal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — soda
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mug — a cup
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. wake — before a funeral
  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