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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 116 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: cue · field · pop · suit · pass · row · lean · key

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — a subject
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pop — soda
  8. pass — a permit
  9. lean — thin
  10. cue — for pool
  11. key — in music
  12. cue — a signal
  13. key — the most important part
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. suit — clothes
  16. field — farmland
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cue — a hint
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. key — for a lock

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