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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cue — for pool
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. key — for a lock
  5. sharp — clever
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. kid — to tease
  8. capital — a city
  9. capital — money
  10. cue — a hint
  11. key — in music
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. race — a contest
  18. cue — a signal
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. kid — child
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. key — the most important part
  24. plane — a tool

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