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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: nail · coach · staff · scale · roll · season · spell · bulb

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. scale — size or range
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. season — of the year
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. scale — in music
  11. staff — employees
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. staff — employees
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. roll — a cake
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. roll — a list
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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