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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: season · key · branch · spell · bass · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. spell — magic
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — the fish
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. spell — a short time
  12. key — the most important part
  13. branch — a division
  14. key — in music
  15. spell — letters
  16. bass — low music
  17. branch — of a tree
  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