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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: nail · perch · spring · suit · current · season · game · key

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. suit — clothes
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. spring — a coil
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — for a lock
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. game — a match
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. season — in sport
  16. spring — the season
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. key — the most important part
  20. spring — of water
  21. season — of the year
  22. suit — to fit
  23. key — in music
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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