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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: roll · lie · squash · ball · fine · key · coach · drill

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. squash — the sport
  4. roll — a list
  5. drill — the tool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. key — in music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. key — for a lock
  10. drill — army training
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ball — a great time
  14. key — the most important part
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. squash — to crush
  21. fine — all right
  22. roll — a cake
  23. drill — a practice
  24. lie — an untruth

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