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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fall — to drop
  3. charge — a price
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — in control
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bear — the animal
  8. capital — money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. fall — to drop
  15. race — humankind
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. fall — the season
  18. charge — electricity
  19. race — a contest
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. capital — a city
  22. key — in music
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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