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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. key — for a lock
  3. suit — clothes
  4. chip — for betting
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. season — in sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. suit — to fit
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. suit — in cards
  13. club — for dancing
  14. spring — the season
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. club — a group
  18. key — in music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. spring — of water
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. chip — to eat
  24. club — for golf

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