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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — to protest
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cue — for pool
  6. board — to get on
  7. object — an aim
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pound — a weight
  11. key — in music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. object — a thing
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. date — the fruit
  17. cue — a hint
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mate — a friend
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mate — to breed
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mate — a partner

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