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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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468
Word bank
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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. key — in music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ruler — a monarch

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