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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.

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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Word bank
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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: lean · nail · season · key · hide · rash

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. season — of the year
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lean — to bend
  14. key — in music
  15. season — in sport
  16. rash — a series
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — for a lock

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