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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.

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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: spell · bear · mate · cue · key · bass · perch · vault

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mate — a partner
  7. spell — magic
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bear — the animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. perch — the fish
  16. key — in music
  17. cue — a signal
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cue — a hint
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spell — letters

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