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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: rock · staff · key · squash · cue · race · object · hand

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. race — humankind
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. key — in music
  8. hand — help
  9. squash — the sport
  10. object — a thing
  11. key — the most important part
  12. race — a contest
  13. hand — in cards
  14. staff — employees
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. object — to protest
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. race — the arms race
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rock — music
  23. staff — employees
  24. squash — to crush

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