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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.

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: mate · spring · spell · pound · key · ruler · cue · foot

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — in music
  6. mate — a friend
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. spell — magic
  11. mate — a partner
  12. spring — a coil
  13. cue — a signal
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pound — a weight
  16. key — for a lock
  17. spring — of water
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. cue — a hint
  20. foot — a measure
  21. spring — the season
  22. spell — a short time
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pound — for dogs

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