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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: face · branch · spell · bore · key · swing · season · wake

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bore — to drill
  4. branch — a division
  5. face — to point toward
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. swing — music
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wake — a trail
  10. swing — in golf
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. face — to confront
  14. spell — magic
  15. face — part of the head
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bore — to tire
  19. key — in music
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. spell — letters
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bore — gave birth

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