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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · court · key · can · prune · pit · cue · lie

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. court — for sport
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. can — a tin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pit — in a race
  12. band — a ring
  13. court — of law
  14. can — a tin
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. court — of a king
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. can — to be able to

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