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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stem — to come from
  4. suit — clothes
  5. club — a group
  6. suit — in cards
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mug — a face
  10. suit — to fit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — to rob
  13. key — the most important part
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. key — in music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. board — to get on
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. board — a committee
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. club — for golf
  24. stem — of a plant

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