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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 116 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
468
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: mate · wake · track · cabinet · vault · dip · season · key

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wake — a trail
  4. vault — a safe
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. track — a song
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. key — in music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mate — a partner
  15. season — in sport
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mate — a friend
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. season — of the year
  23. mate — to breed
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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