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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 piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. key — for a lock
  6. board — a committee
  7. object — to protest
  8. board — to get on
  9. fine — all right
  10. object — a thing
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. land — to come down
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fine — high quality
  19. land — ground
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. object — an aim
  22. spring — of water
  23. key — the most important part
  24. land — a country

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