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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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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. firm — steady
  5. key — the most important part
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pop — to visit
  8. firm — decided
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. key — in music
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. band — a music group
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pop — music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pop — soda
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. key — for a lock
  23. band — a ring
  24. firm — a company

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