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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pop — soda
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. track — a path
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pop — to visit
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — for a lock
  16. wound — an injury
  17. track — a song
  18. pop — music
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. suit — clothes
  21. key — in music
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. track — to keep track

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