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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. bank — for money
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. last — to go on
  11. swing — to play on
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. last — final
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. row — a line
  20. last — finally
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bank — for money
  23. rush — hurry
  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