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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: tube · season · key · rash · arm · club · ground · nail

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. club — a group
  4. rash — a series
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. club — for golf
  8. tube — a container
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rash — hasty
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — of the year
  13. ground — the earth
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. tube — the underground
  20. key — for a lock
  21. season — in sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. club — for dancing

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