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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: hand · key · club · object · pit · tube · chair · season

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. season — in sport
  6. tube — a container
  7. object — a thing
  8. club — a group
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. club — for golf
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. key — in music
  19. season — of the year
  20. hand — help
  21. object — to protest
  22. hand — in cards
  23. chair — a leader
  24. object — an aim

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