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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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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: wound · mark · mouse · coach · march · key

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. march — the month
  8. key — the most important part
  9. march — the month
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. key — for a lock
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — in music
  16. wound — an injury
  17. march — music
  18. mark — to pay attention

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