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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · rest · club · bowl · cabinet · ground · key · spell

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. key — in music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. club — for golf
  9. spell — letters
  10. key — the most important part
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. club — a group
  14. mug — a face
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ground — a position
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — a cup

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