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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: straw · ball · key · dip · pass · capital · cue · fan

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. capital — money
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cue — for pool
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ball — a great time
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. capital — a city
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. cue — a hint
  21. key — the most important part
  22. dip — to sink
  23. key — in music
  24. straw — a straw man

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