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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pitch — completely
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. last — to go on
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. key — in music
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wake — a trail
  15. last — final
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. last — finally
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. sharp — clever
  24. key — for a lock

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