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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
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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: plane · sharp · safe · mark · hand · key · season · ball

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mark — a trace
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ball — a great time
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. hand — help
  11. season — of the year
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. season — in sport
  15. key — in music
  16. plane — a tool
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. hand — in cards
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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