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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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Word bank
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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — magic
  3. pitch — completely
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. spell — a short time
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. key — for a lock
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. key — the most important part
  20. spell — letters
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — in music
  24. kick — in football

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