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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: tube · key · rest · suit · season · sharp · track · scale

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. track — a path
  4. scale — size or range
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rest — a break
  7. sharp — clever
  8. track — to keep track
  9. key — the most important part
  10. season — in sport
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rest — what's left
  15. tube — a container
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. key — for a lock
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. track — a song
  21. scale — in music
  22. key — in music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rest — what's left

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