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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. key — for a lock
  5. squash — the sport
  6. key — in music
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. spell — letters
  9. mug — a cup
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mug — a face
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spell — a short time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. band — a ring
  17. spell — magic
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ball — a great time
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mug — to rob
  23. band — a music group
  24. ball — a dance

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