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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
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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: nail · key · spring · wave · leaves · plane · season · saw

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — in sport
  4. spring — the season
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. key — for a lock
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. key — in music
  10. spring — of water
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. season — of the year
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spring — a coil
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. saw — the tool
  20. plane — a tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. key — the most important part

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