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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · stand · key · cue · pit · shower

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pit — a hole
  3. shower — rain
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mate — a partner
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mate — a friend
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pit — in a race
  14. shower — to wash
  15. key — in music
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. key — for a lock

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