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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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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: root · cue · fan · game · mouse · pit · bay · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. game — a match
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. root — of a word
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cue — a signal
  17. root — of a plant
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. key — the most important part
  24. root — the cause

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