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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 116 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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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: object · club · season · key · stick · cap · pass · last

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. club — for golf
  3. last — to go on
  4. season — of the year
  5. cap — a hat
  6. season — in sport
  7. last — finally
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cap — of ice
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. key — in music
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. last — final
  15. object — to protest
  16. pass — a permit
  17. club — a group
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cap — a lid
  20. key — for a lock
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. object — an aim

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