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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: hide · key · season · racket · fall · nail · spring · rock

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. spring — a coil
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. season — in sport
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. spring — of water
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. season — of the year
  13. fall — to drop
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. spring — the season
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rock — a stone
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rock — music
  22. fall — to drop
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. key — in music

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