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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. key — the most important part
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mark — a trace
  6. key — in music
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ground — a position
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ground — the earth

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