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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 116 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cue — a hint
  4. key — the most important part
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — the season
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mug — a cup
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. mug — to rob
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. capital — money
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. spring — of water
  17. cue — a signal
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. key — in music
  20. mug — a face
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cue — for pool
  23. tube — a container
  24. capital — a city

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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