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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. key — the most important part
  4. firm — decided
  5. fall — to drop
  6. kid — to tease
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. track — to keep track
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. firm — steady
  13. track — a song
  14. fall — to drop
  15. key — in music
  16. track — a path
  17. firm — a company
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fall — the season
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. kid — child
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. mark — a trace

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