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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: key · ground · game · spell · rock · last · mug · nail

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ground — the earth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — magic
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rock — music
  9. game — wild animals
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. spell — a short time
  12. game — a match
  13. mug — a face
  14. key — the most important part
  15. last — final
  16. last — finally
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — letters
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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