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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 120 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: fan · cue · key · rock · plane · season · clip · mate

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. key — the most important part
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mate — a friend
  6. season — in sport
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rock — music
  11. key — in music
  12. season — of the year
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mate — a partner
  19. clip — a video
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — to breed
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. fan — a supporter

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