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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.

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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: deal · rush · season · pass · key · suit · nail · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. key — the most important part
  3. suit — to fit
  4. perch — the fish
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pass — a permit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rush — hurry
  10. key — in music
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. key — for a lock
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. season — in sport
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. season — of the year

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