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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 120 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: club · cue · nail · lean · rush · key · bass · mouse

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — a group
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cue — for pool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — in music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lean — thin
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rush — hurry
  15. club — for golf
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bass — low music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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