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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: present · lean · roll · spell · net · suit · cue · key

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. suit — to fit
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. spell — a short time
  5. key — the most important part
  6. present — there
  7. cue — a hint
  8. key — in music
  9. roll — a cake
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cue — for pool
  12. spell — magic
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. key — for a lock
  15. net — after costs
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. roll — a list
  19. lean — to bend
  20. net — for catching
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lean — thin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. spell — letters

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