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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. key — for a lock
  4. object — an aim
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. land — to come down
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. key — in music
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. key — the most important part
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — to protest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. object — a thing
  21. land — a country
  22. land — ground
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lash — to lash out

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