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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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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: mark · roll · rule · key · leaves · spell · court · foot

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. spell — magic
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. foot — a measure
  5. roll — a cake
  6. key — in music
  7. mark — a trace
  8. court — of law
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — a law
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — for sport
  15. roll — a list
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mark — a grade
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. spell — letters
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rule — government
  24. leaves — lets stay

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