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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
468
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: row · key · firm · spell · content · cue · date · mark

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. spell — magic
  4. mark — a trace
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. content — the amount
  7. cue — a hint
  8. key — in music
  9. cue — a signal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. date — the fruit
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. row — a line
  14. key — the most important part
  15. content — happy
  16. mark — a grade
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cue — for pool
  20. spell — a short time
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. key — for a lock

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