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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 116 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.

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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. key — in music
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. saw — the tool
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. scale — in music
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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