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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: bass · sharp · calf · suit · season · pit · bore · key

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pit — in a race
  4. key — for a lock
  5. sharp — clever
  6. season — in sport
  7. bore — to tire
  8. suit — to fit
  9. key — in music
  10. bore — to drill
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bass — the fish
  19. key — the most important part
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. season — of the year

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