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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: pitcher · rush · bay · jam · rock · cue · snap · key

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. snap — to click
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rock — a stone
  5. key — for a lock
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. key — in music
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cue — for pool
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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