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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. prune — to trim
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wind — moving air
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. staff — employees
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. key — in music
  16. staff — employees
  17. game — a match
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pound — a weight
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pit — a hole

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