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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: key · hand · bulb · stick · calf · season · mate · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. key — for a lock
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. plane — a tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. season — of the year
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hand — help
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. key — in music
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. calf — a young animal

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