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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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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: object · rock · key · bound · straw · ball · land · cue

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bound — certain
  4. rock — music
  5. object — an aim
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cue — a hint
  13. key — for a lock
  14. object — to protest
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. key — in music
  17. cue — for pool
  18. land — a country
  19. land — ground
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bound — tied together
  22. land — to come down
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. object — a thing

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