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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. deal — to handle
  8. march — music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — in music
  12. march — the month
  13. pit — a hole
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. key — the most important part
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wind — moving air
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. wind — moving air
  24. march — the month

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