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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
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: cue · pop · saw · lean · key · degree · arm · wound

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. pop — to visit
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. key — in music
  7. pop — music
  8. degree — temperature
  9. key — the most important part
  10. saw — the tool
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. cue — a hint
  16. key — for a lock
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. degree — an amount
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pop — soda
  21. degree — from a university
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  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