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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 116 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: lean · pit · cue · staff · pop · object · track · key

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. key — the most important part
  3. object — an aim
  4. cue — a hint
  5. object — a thing
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. key — for a lock
  9. object — to protest
  10. staff — a stick
  11. track — a song
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pit — in a race
  16. staff — employees
  17. lean — to bend
  18. key — in music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. staff — employees
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  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