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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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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mug — a face
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. track — a path
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. track — a song
  12. tube — a container
  13. ball — a dance
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fork — in a road
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. track — to keep track
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tube — the underground
  24. key — the most important part

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