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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mark — a trace
  4. root — the cause
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. spell — magic
  8. root — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. key — the most important part
  11. spell — a short time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. key — for a lock
  15. branch — a division
  16. ball — a great time
  17. spell — letters
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. root — of a word
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. key — in music
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. patient — a sick person

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