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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: rule · rest · key · ground · leaves · deal · spell · coach

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. deal — to handle
  3. ground — crushed
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rest — what's left
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rule — government
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ground — a position
  18. rule — a law
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rest — a break
  21. key — the most important part
  22. spell — letters
  23. key — in music
  24. deal — an agreement

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