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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: season · fan · net · face · key · straw · pop · fine

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. pop — soda
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pop — music
  7. net — for catching
  8. face — part of the head
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. face — to confront
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pop — to visit
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fine — high quality
  17. season — of the year
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fine — all right
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. season — in sport
  23. fine — a penalty
  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