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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: spell · roll · ball · rush · rest · rock · cue · key

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. spell — a short time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cue — for pool
  6. roll — a cake
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — in music
  12. spell — magic
  13. cue — a signal
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rock — a stone
  18. key — for a lock
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rock — music
  23. spell — letters
  24. rest — a break

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