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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. content — the amount
  6. key — for a lock
  7. content — happy
  8. spring — of water
  9. key — in music
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bass — low music
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

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