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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cue · rock · bay · kick · game · content · suit · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. key — the most important part
  5. cue — for pool
  6. game — wild animals
  7. suit — clothes
  8. content — happy
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. key — in music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rock — a stone
  18. kick — in football
  19. rock — music
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. game — a match
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bay — a horse colour

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