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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. key — in music
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. scale — in music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. charge — in control
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. scale — size or range
  14. cue — for pool
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rush — hurry
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chair — a leader
  21. key — the most important part
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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