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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. key — in music
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rule — government
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rule — a law
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — for money
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bank — of a river
  22. hand — help
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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