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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: season · club · coach · cap · spell · key · face · pound

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — a lid
  5. key — in music
  6. season — in sport
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — for golf
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. spell — a short time
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — a weight
  16. spell — letters
  17. season — of the year
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. spell — magic

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