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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cap — a lid
  7. net — for catching
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cap — of ice
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. key — in music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. net — in sport
  19. mug — a cup
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cap — a hat
  22. wake — a trail
  23. net — after costs
  24. pass — a permit

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