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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: season · key · snap · stick · nail · mate · staff · calf

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. staff — a stick
  4. key — the most important part
  5. snap — to click
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. key — in music
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. season — in sport
  11. key — for a lock
  12. staff — employees
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mate — a partner
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mate — to breed
  22. staff — employees
  23. nail — on a finger
  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