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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pit — a hole
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pit — in a race
  7. craft — boats
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. hand — help
  20. key — in music
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. cue — a hint

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