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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. season — of the year
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. date — the fruit
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. season — in sport
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. craft — boats
  15. key — in music
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. craft — a skill
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. nail — for a hammer

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