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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fine — high quality
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. key — in music
  5. spell — magic
  6. key — for a lock
  7. spell — letters
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — a phone
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fine — all right
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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