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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 120 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: bear · coach · track · object · mouse · craft · key · fall

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. track — to keep track
  3. object — to protest
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. craft — boats
  6. track — a song
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bear — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. craft — a skill
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. key — in music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — a path
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fall — the season
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. key — the most important part

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