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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. key — in music
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fall — to drop
  7. game — a match
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fall — the season
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bank — for money
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bank — for money
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rock — music

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