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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mug — to rob
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mug — a face
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bat — for baseball

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