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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. season — in sport
  3. drill — the tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cap — a hat
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lie — to recline
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. key — the most important part
  11. prune — to trim
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cap — a lid
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. season — of the year
  16. key — in music
  17. cap — of ice
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ball — a great time
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. board — to get on
  22. ball — a dance
  23. drill — army training
  24. board — a committee

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