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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rule — government
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bat — the animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rule — a law
  17. bass — the fish
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rock — music
  23. key — in music
  24. rock — to move gently

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