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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. 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. ball — a great time
  2. season — of the year
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fall — to drop
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. key — in music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fall — to drop
  12. season — in sport
  13. cell — in biology
  14. fall — the season
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. land — to come down
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cell — a phone
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ball — a dance
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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