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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. suit — clothes
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. face — part of the head
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rush — hurry
  16. date — the fruit
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a list
  21. suit — to fit
  22. roll — a cake
  23. season — in sport
  24. key — for a lock

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