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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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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: content · lie · kid · rock · trunk · key · deal · cue

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. content — the amount
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rock — a stone
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. content — happy
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rock — music
  13. kid — to tease
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cue — a hint
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — to handle
  19. kid — child
  20. key — in music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. lie — an untruth

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