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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 116 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: cabinet · cell · wax · spell · deal · kick · ball · key

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. spell — magic
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. cell — in biology
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. wax — to grow
  12. spell — a short time
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cell — a phone
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. kick — in football
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. spell — letters
  24. kick — with a leg

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