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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.

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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: spring · saw · spell · cue · nail · net · ground · coach

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. net — for catching
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. net — in sport
  9. spring — of water
  10. spell — letters
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. net — after costs
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spring — a coil
  18. cue — a hint
  19. spring — the season
  20. ground — a position
  21. saw — the tool
  22. spell — magic
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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