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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.

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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: deal · nail · hand · key · coach · bowl · face · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. key — the most important part
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. key — for a lock
  10. deal — to handle
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. hand — help
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. hand — in cards
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bowl — to roll

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