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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. suit — to fit
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — in cards
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. suit — clothes
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. perch — the fish
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. perch — for a bird

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