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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: cue · spell · key · safe · chair · object

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. spell — magic
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. key — for a lock
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. object — an aim
  7. cue — for pool
  8. key — the most important part
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chair — a leader
  11. object — to protest
  12. cue — a hint
  13. spell — a short time
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. key — in music
  16. cue — a signal
  17. spell — letters
  18. object — a thing

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