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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. key — in music
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. key — for a lock
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rock — music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. branch — a division
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rock — a stone
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rush — hurry
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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