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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. object — a thing
  14. dip — to sink
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. key — for a lock
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. shower — rain
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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