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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: track · wind · cap · bound · deal · tube · coach · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. tube — a container
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cap — a lid
  8. tube — the underground
  9. key — in music
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cap — a hat
  12. deal — to handle
  13. track — a song
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bound — certain
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. track — a path
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wind — moving air

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