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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: nail · key · ball · mate · season · shower · snap · lash

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. ball — a dance
  6. snap — to click
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mate — a friend
  9. key — for a lock
  10. shower — to wash
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. key — in music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. season — of the year
  15. shower — rain
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mate — to breed
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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