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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rash — a series
  10. mug — to rob
  11. key — in music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bound — certain
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rash — hasty
  16. mug — a face
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. can — a tin
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wind — moving air

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