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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.

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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: cabinet · mouse · suit · wave · track · content · spring · key

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. spring — the season
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. spring — of water
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. key — in music
  15. track — to keep track
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. spring — a coil
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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