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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: foot · bass · key · kid · cue · pass · leaves · tube

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. cue — a hint
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tube — the underground
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bass — the fish
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. kid — to tease
  15. pass — a permit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bass — low music
  18. tube — a container
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. key — in music
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. kid — child

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