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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. key — in music
  3. spell — magic
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — the animal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. spell — letters
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — a subject
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. row — a line
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. key — the most important part
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. field — farmland
  19. row — to paddle
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cue — a signal
  24. row — a quarrel

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