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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: staff · toast · season · key · sharp · mug · saw · shower

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. saw — the tool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. staff — a stick
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. sharp — clever
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. staff — employees
  13. shower — to wash
  14. toast — bread
  15. key — in music
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mug — a cup
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. mug — to rob
  21. staff — employees
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. shower — rain
  24. mug — a face

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