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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.

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: spell · cue · key · mate · band · content · season · hide

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. spell — magic
  4. band — a music group
  5. mate — a friend
  6. key — the most important part
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mate — to breed
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. season — of the year
  14. spell — letters
  15. content — happy
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. key — for a lock
  18. content — the amount
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. spell — a short time
  21. band — a ring
  22. key — in music
  23. season — in sport
  24. mate — a partner

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