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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. fine — all right
  3. season — of the year
  4. club — a group
  5. branch — a division
  6. fine — high quality
  7. spell — letters
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. key — the most important part
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. key — in music
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. club — for golf
  16. spell — a short time
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. key — for a lock
  20. spell — magic
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. season — in sport
  24. club — for dancing

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