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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. key — for a lock
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. key — in music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. track — a path
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. track — to keep track
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cap — a hat
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cap — of ice
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — a song
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. key — the most important part
  24. ruler — for measuring

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