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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: scale · drill · club · object · sharp · cue · cold · key

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  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. object — an aim
  2. cue — for pool
  3. scale — in music
  4. object — to protest
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cold — not warm
  7. key — in music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. drill — army training
  10. club — for dancing
  11. object — a thing
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. club — for golf
  15. key — the most important part
  16. scale — size or range
  17. sharp — clever
  18. drill — a practice
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. key — for a lock
  21. club — a group
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cold — an illness
  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