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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: key · scale · branch · straw · suit · last · toast · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. branch — a division
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. suit — clothes
  8. last — to go on
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. key — the most important part
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. key — for a lock
  13. toast — bread
  14. last — final
  15. key — in music
  16. scale — in music
  17. suit — to fit
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. season — of the year
  20. scale — size or range
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. last — finally
  24. suit — in cards

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