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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
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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: coach · drill · spell · cell · mug · key

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. spell — a short time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — the tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cell — in biology
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. spell — letters
  12. drill — a practice
  13. key — in music
  14. cell — a phone
  15. spell — magic
  16. mug — a face
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mug — to rob

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