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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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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 · season · snap · shower · bank · cue · stick · object

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — an aim
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. shower — to wash
  8. object — to protest
  9. cue — for pool
  10. key — in music
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. season — in sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. key — the most important part
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. object — a thing
  21. bank — for money
  22. shower — rain
  23. cue — a hint
  24. snap — to click

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