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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
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: key · season · mug · dip · shower · face · club · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. club — for golf
  4. shower — to wash
  5. club — a group
  6. face — to confront
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mug — to rob
  9. key — in music
  10. season — in sport
  11. key — the most important part
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mug — a cup
  14. shower — rain
  15. key — for a lock
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. season — of the year
  18. face — part of the head
  19. dip — to sink
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. mug — a face
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. face — to point toward
  24. club — for dancing

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