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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: court · file · firm · key · cue · rock · bulb · straw

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. firm — decided
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cue — a hint
  7. firm — steady
  8. court — of law
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. rock — a stone
  13. key — in music
  14. cue — a signal
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. key — for a lock
  17. court — for sport
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rock — music
  21. firm — a company
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. court — of a king

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