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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.

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: bark · key · stock · cabinet · content · track · cue · kick

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. kick — in football
  3. cue — for pool
  4. key — the most important part
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. content — the amount
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bark — to shout
  14. track — a song
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stock — shares
  17. content — happy
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. key — in music
  23. track — a path
  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