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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. key — in music
  3. scale — in music
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. cue — for pool
  9. key — for a lock
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rash — a series
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — size or range
  24. can — a tin

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