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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 120 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pop — music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pop — to visit
  18. snap — to click
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. pop — soda
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chair — a leader

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