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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: kid · lash · content · pitcher · tube · fine · cue · key

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. key — the most important part
  4. tube — the underground
  5. kid — child
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fine — high quality
  8. key — in music
  9. content — the amount
  10. fine — all right
  11. kid — to tease
  12. tube — a container
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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