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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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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. scale — size or range
  4. march — the month
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mug — to rob
  9. key — the most important part
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — a cup
  15. prune — to trim
  16. march — music
  17. scale — in music
  18. prune — to trim
  19. march — the month
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. key — in music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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