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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: coach · ruler · key · mouse · game · season · pop · deal

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. game — wild animals
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pop — soda
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pop — to visit
  9. key — in music
  10. season — of the year
  11. game — a match
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. season — in sport
  14. key — for a lock
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pop — music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. deal — to handle

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