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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. current — electric
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. rash — a series
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rash — hasty

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