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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.

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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bear — the animal
  22. drill — army training
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. lash — to lash out

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