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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 116 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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. key — the most important part
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. key — in music
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. race — humankind
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. firm — decided
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. tube — the underground
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. race — the arms race
  16. firm — a company
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stem — to come from
  19. race — a contest
  20. firm — steady
  21. kick — in football
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. tube — a container

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