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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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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — the most important part
  11. spell — a short time
  12. craft — boats
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. spell — magic
  17. pitch — completely
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spell — letters
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. key — in music

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