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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. key — for a lock
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. face — part of the head
  7. suit — in cards
  8. object — to protest
  9. fine — all right
  10. rest — what's left
  11. object — an aim
  12. suit — clothes
  13. object — a thing
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rest — a break
  18. key — in music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rest — what's left
  21. face — to confront
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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