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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: coach · drill · spell · cell · mug · key · perch · chip

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. spell — letters
  4. cell — in biology
  5. drill — army training
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. drill — a practice
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. key — for a lock
  12. spell — magic
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mug — a cup
  15. key — the most important part
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mug — to rob
  18. spell — a short time
  19. chip — for betting
  20. key — in music
  21. cell — a phone
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — to eat
  24. perch — the fish

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