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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. key — the most important part
  3. band — a ring
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. kick — in football
  10. stock — goods
  11. lean — to bend
  12. can — a tin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. key — for a lock
  16. can — to be able to
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stock — shares
  20. lean — thin
  21. can — a tin
  22. band — a music group
  23. ball — a dance
  24. key — in music

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