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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 116 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: pound · key · nail · leaves · last · mate · season · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mate — to breed
  5. key — in music
  6. mate — a friend
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. season — of the year
  18. last — to go on
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. key — the most important part
  21. season — in sport
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mate — a partner
  24. season — to add flavour

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