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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: court · lie · kick · sharp · key · season · mate · bay

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. court — of a king
  3. season — in sport
  4. mate — to breed
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. court — of law
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. key — the most important part
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mate — a friend
  15. season — of the year
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. court — for sport
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mate — a partner
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. kick — in football
  22. key — for a lock
  23. sharp — clever
  24. lie — to recline

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