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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rash — hasty
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. perch — the fish
  8. object — an aim
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rash — a series
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. key — the most important part
  14. object — to protest
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. object — a thing
  17. bore — to tire
  18. clip — to cut
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. clip — a video
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. key — for a lock

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