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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cell — a phone
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bass — the fish
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. season — in sport
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. cell — in biology
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bass — low music
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. season — of the year
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. nail — on a finger

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