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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · content · spell · key · mug · cue

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cue — a hint
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. spell — a short time
  7. key — in music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ground — crushed
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. key — the most important part
  13. content — the amount
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. content — happy
  18. ground — a position

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