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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: bore · hide · season · key · squash · cabinet · cue · date

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bore — to drill
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cue — for pool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — in sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. squash — the sport
  18. key — in music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. season — of the year
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cue — a hint

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