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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: key · bass · branch · court · kid · kick · mate · cue

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. kick — in football
  3. court — for sport
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. mate — a friend
  6. branch — a division
  7. court — of law
  8. bass — low music
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. cue — a hint
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. mate — a partner
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cue — a signal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. kid — child
  20. court — of a king
  21. kid — to tease
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. cue — for pool

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