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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 124 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. ground — a position
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. tube — a container
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. tube — the underground
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — a weight
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. key — the most important part

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