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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: track · kick · bound · season · spell · key · coach · charge

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bound — certain
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. key — in music
  5. track — a path
  6. charge — electricity
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. track — to keep track
  9. charge — a price
  10. season — in sport
  11. charge — in control
  12. season — of the year
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. spell — magic
  17. bound — tied together
  18. kick — in football
  19. bound — obliged
  20. track — a song
  21. spell — a short time
  22. key — the most important part
  23. spell — letters
  24. season — to add flavour

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