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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
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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 · mouse · ball · suit · ruler · mate · sharp · spell

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spell — letters
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mate — a partner
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — a friend
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — in music
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. spell — a short time
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spell — magic
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. suit — in cards

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