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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: last · date · game · root · jam · dip · cue · key

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. root — the cause
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. last — finally
  5. date — the fruit
  6. cue — a hint
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. game — wild animals
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cue — for pool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cue — a signal
  14. last — to go on
  15. key — the most important part
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. root — of a word
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. key — in music
  22. last — final
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. jam — a tight spot

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