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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. branch — a division
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. key — in music
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mate — a friend
  15. game — a match
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. game — wild animals
  24. fan — a supporter

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