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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mate — a friend
  5. foot — a measure
  6. key — in music
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. toast — bread
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. key — for a lock
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — the fish
  24. sharp — clever

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