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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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 — an eyelash
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. key — in music
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. band — a ring
  8. cap — of ice
  9. net — for catching
  10. band — a music group
  11. cap — a hat
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. net — after costs
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. cap — a lid
  20. key — the most important part
  21. net — in sport
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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