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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 124 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. chair — a leader
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mug — a face
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fine — all right
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. key — for a lock
  12. game — a match
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mug — a cup
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mug — to rob
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. game — wild animals
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fine — high quality
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. drill — army training

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