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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: court · branch · game · key · can · cue · fork · toast

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. can — a tin
  2. court — for sport
  3. game — wild animals
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. court — of a king
  6. cue — for pool
  7. court — of law
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. game — a match
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. key — in music
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cue — a hint
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. key — the most important part
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. toast — bread
  23. key — for a lock
  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