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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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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: plane · season · fine · bound · chip · wound · cap · key

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wound — an injury
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bound — certain
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cap — a lid
  7. key — in music
  8. cap — of ice
  9. season — of the year
  10. fine — high quality
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. fine — all right
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. key — for a lock
  17. chip — to eat
  18. season — in sport
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bound — obliged
  21. plane — a tool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cap — a hat

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