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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: craft · scale · rush · mine · leaves · wound · key · season

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. season — in sport
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. key — in music
  7. scale — in music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. season — of the year
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. scale — size or range
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mine — for digging
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wound — an injury
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. key — the most important part
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rush — hurry

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