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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. court — of law
  6. court — for sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. staff — a stick
  15. court — of a king
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — in music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rest — what's left
  24. staff — employees

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