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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.

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: snap · game · bowl · ground · key · coach · safe · spring

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. spring — a coil
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ground — crushed
  6. snap — to click
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ground — a position
  9. spring — of water
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. key — in music
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. key — the most important part
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ground — the earth
  21. spring — the season
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bowl — a dish

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