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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: mate · pop · key · rock · cue · content · ground · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. content — the amount
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mate — to breed
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rock — music
  11. ground — crushed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mate — a friend
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. content — happy
  18. ground — a position
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pop — soda
  21. cap — a lid
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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