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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 120 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: last · bowl · key · rock · coach · bound · pit · cell

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bound — obliged
  3. last — to go on
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cell — in biology
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rock — music
  10. last — finally
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rock — a stone
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. key — in music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bound — certain
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. last — final
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cell — a phone
  24. rock — to move gently

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