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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 120 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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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — part of the head
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. face — to point toward
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bark — to shout
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — for a lock
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. key — in music
  22. fine — all right
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — for a hammer

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