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

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pound — a weight
  3. key — in music
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. foot — a measure
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bear — the animal
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. craft — boats

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