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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rash — a series
  3. row — to paddle
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. firm — decided
  9. key — the most important part
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. season — of the year
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. key — in music
  17. row — a line
  18. firm — steady
  19. rash — hasty
  20. season — in sport
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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