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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 120 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: kick · deal · track · pitcher · root · cue · key · lie

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. root — the cause
  4. kick — in football
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cue — a hint
  7. key — in music
  8. root — of a word
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. key — for a lock
  11. track — a path
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cue — for pool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. track — a song
  20. cue — a signal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. kick — a thrill

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