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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: mate · face · fan · key · cue · file · lean · object

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mate — a friend
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. lean — to bend
  7. file — a tool
  8. key — for a lock
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — in music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. face — to confront
  13. mate — a partner
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mate — to breed
  17. face — to point toward
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cue — a hint
  20. file — a document
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. object — a thing
  24. lean — thin

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