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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · key · snap · plane · season · cell

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. cell — a phone
  4. key — the most important part
  5. snap — to click
  6. season — in sport
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. season — of the year
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. rest — what's left
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. season — to add flavour

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