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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: cabinet · mate · club · key · lash · trunk · hide · season

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. season — of the year
  3. key — in music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mate — to breed
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. season — in sport
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mate — a friend
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mate — a partner
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. key — for a lock
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. key — the most important part

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