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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: nail · date · bulb · wake · key · land · season · rock

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. season — in sport
  4. land — to come down
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. land — a country
  8. season — of the year
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rock — music
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bulb — for light
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. key — the most important part
  17. land — ground
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wake — a trail
  20. key — for a lock
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rock — a stone
  24. key — in music

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