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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: suit · row · season · nail · face · chest · cell · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. chest — of your body
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cell — in biology
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. season — of the year
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. face — part of the head
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — to confront
  15. chest — a box
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cell — a phone
  18. chest — of your body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. face — to point toward
  21. season — in sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — for a lock
  24. suit — to fit

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