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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
468
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: safe · pit · bank · spring · key · trunk · season · scale

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. spring — the season
  3. key — in music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. spring — of water
  6. bank — of a river
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bank — for money
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. key — the most important part
  17. scale — in music
  18. pit — in a race
  19. spring — a coil
  20. scale — size or range
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bank — for money
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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