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

Word bank: straw · pitcher · root · kid · pass · key · cue · craft

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. kid — child
  4. craft — boats
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. root — the cause
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. root — of a word
  12. key — the most important part
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cue — for pool
  20. key — in music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kid — to tease
  24. cue — a signal

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