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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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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: lean · cue · firm · club · pitcher · mouse · key · mine

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — for dancing
  7. key — the most important part
  8. firm — a company
  9. club — a group
  10. lean — thin
  11. key — in music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. key — for a lock
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. club — for golf
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mine — for digging
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. lean — to bend
  24. firm — steady

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