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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.

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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 · cue · season · root · ball · rash · key · firm

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. spell — letters
  3. root — the cause
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. season — of the year
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. firm — steady
  10. ball — a great time
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. key — in music
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. key — the most important part
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. season — in sport
  20. root — of a word
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — magic

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