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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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — letters
  3. key — for a lock
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — clothes
  6. last — to go on
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spell — magic
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. last — final
  12. spell — a short time
  13. key — in music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — a group
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. key — the most important part
  20. last — finally
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. club — for dancing
  23. ball — a dance
  24. club — for golf

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