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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. key — in music
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ball — a great time
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a dance
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ball — a round shape

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