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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. scale — in music
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. spring — of water
  5. key — in music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. spring — the season
  9. craft — boats
  10. root — the cause
  11. key — the most important part
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. scale — size or range
  15. root — of a word
  16. sharp — clever
  17. key — for a lock
  18. spring — a coil
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rest — a break
  22. craft — a skill
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. root — of a plant

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