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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: cue · clip · bat · suit · scale · bore · patient · key

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. cue — for pool
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — to fit
  7. key — in music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. scale — size or range
  13. clip — a video
  14. scale — in music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. key — for a lock
  20. clip — to cut
  21. key — the most important part
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bore — to tire
  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