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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. board — a committee
  5. spell — letters
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. can — to be able to
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. board — to get on
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. track — a path
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spell — a short time
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spell — magic

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