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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: lash · craft · key · last · fan · land · season · bowl

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. last — finally
  3. key — the most important part
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. land — to come down
  7. last — final
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. last — to go on
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. land — a country
  19. season — in sport
  20. land — ground
  21. key — in music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fan — a supporter

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