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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.

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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 · craft · stick · key · mouse · staff · kick · content

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. key — in music
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. staff — employees
  10. cue — a signal
  11. staff — employees
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. kick — in football
  17. key — for a lock
  18. craft — boats
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. staff — a stick

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