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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: board · nail · mark · key · chip · sharp · season · deal

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. season — of the year
  3. mark — a grade
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. board — to get on
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. season — in sport
  10. key — the most important part
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mark — a trace
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. board — a committee
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — to handle

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