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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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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: key · pound · leaves · bear · mate · racket · cue · stick

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. key — in music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pound — a weight
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bear — the animal

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