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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.

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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: pit · pop · saw · stick · key · deal · wake · season

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. season — in sport
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pop — to visit
  9. season — of the year
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pop — soda
  16. pit — a hole
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. deal — to handle
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — in music
  22. pop — music
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pit — in a race

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