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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: key · pop · cap · cue · stock · straw · temple · foot

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. stock — shares
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. cap — a lid
  8. key — in music
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. stock — goods
  11. pop — music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — to visit
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. key — for a lock
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. cap — a hat
  23. key — the most important part
  24. cue — a signal

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