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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.

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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. saw — the tool
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. key — the most important part
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. key — for a lock
  10. suit — clothes
  11. key — in music
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. spell — a short time
  17. club — for dancing
  18. saw — the tool
  19. club — for golf
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. club — a group
  24. coach — a trainer

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