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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. key — the most important part
  3. row — to paddle
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. shower — to wash
  7. fine — all right
  8. row — a line
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. key — in music
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. root — of a plant
  16. prune — to trim
  17. root — the cause
  18. key — for a lock
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. root — of a word
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pass — a permit
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. shower — rain

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