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

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitch — completely
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stand — to bear
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part

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