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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: season · bore · wave · degree · pit · craft · straw · key

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. key — in music
  3. bore — to drill
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. craft — boats
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pit — in a race
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. degree — an amount
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. season — of the year
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bore — to tire
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pit — a hole
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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