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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · suit · drill · key · race · game · coach · scale

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. drill — a practice
  3. scale — in music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. scale — size or range
  7. suit — in cards
  8. game — wild animals
  9. suit — to fit
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. key — in music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. suit — clothes
  16. drill — army training
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — humankind
  20. key — the most important part
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. race — the arms race

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