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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cue — a signal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. date — the fruit
  10. firm — steady
  11. club — for golf
  12. key — the most important part
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — a video
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. club — a group
  20. clip — to cut
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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