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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bank — for money
  12. rash — hasty
  13. key — in music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bank — for money
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rash — a series
  24. wake — a trail

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