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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
468
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: firm · season · foot · stand · spring · stick · key · swing

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. spring — of water
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. key — the most important part
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. firm — steady
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. spring — the season
  11. foot — a measure
  12. swing — music
  13. season — in sport
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. season — of the year
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. swing — to play on
  18. key — in music
  19. firm — decided
  20. stand — to bear
  21. firm — a company
  22. spring — a coil
  23. swing — in golf
  24. 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