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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. suit — in cards
  3. key — for a lock
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. season — of the year
  7. suit — clothes
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — in music
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mark — a grade
  20. suit — to fit
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — in sport
  24. mark — to pay attention

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