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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. key — in music
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. key — the most important part
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cell — in biology
  12. stem — to come from
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. current — electric
  19. swing — to play on
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. swing — music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. fine — all right

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