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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 120 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: pass · bowl · key · season · rush · net · mate · chip

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pass — a permit
  3. net — in sport
  4. key — in music
  5. season — of the year
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rush — hurry
  10. chip — for betting
  11. key — for a lock
  12. season — in sport
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. net — after costs
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mate — a friend
  21. net — for catching
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mate — to breed

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