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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. key — the most important part
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. spell — letters
  9. key — in music
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. spell — a short time
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. spell — magic
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bank — for money
  21. key — for a lock
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. deal — to handle

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