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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. key — in music
  3. pass — a permit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — a container
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hand — help
  11. tube — the underground
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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