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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: mug · fan · game · key · ball · mark · bound · cell

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. key — in music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bound — certain
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bound — tied together
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ball — a great time
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. game — a match
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cell — in biology
  24. fan — to cool the 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