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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. key — the most important part
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — finally
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bore — to tire
  15. key — for a lock
  16. file — a tool
  17. last — final
  18. file — a document
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. file — a line of people
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bass — low music
  24. key — in 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