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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
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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: ground · prune · temple · kid · coach · game · cue · key

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. key — in music
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. ground — the earth
  8. key — for a lock
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. kid — child
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — a position
  15. kid — to tease
  16. cue — a signal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. key — the most important part
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ground — crushed
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. game — wild animals
  24. prune — to trim

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