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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.

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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. file — a tool
  3. last — final
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. last — finally
  6. file — a line of people
  7. key — the most important part
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. press — a publisher
  15. key — in music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. file — a document
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. last — to go on
  24. plane — a tool

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