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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: pass · key · coach · track · calf · ground · hide · bowl

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. key — the most important part
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ground — a position
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. track — a song
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. track — to keep track
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. track — a path
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. key — in music
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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