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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · snap · object · key · rash · foot · spring · net

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. object — a thing
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. net — in sport
  7. key — the most important part
  8. spring — of water
  9. object — an aim
  10. key — in music
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. net — after costs
  13. spring — the season
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. net — for catching
  16. spring — a coil
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rash — hasty
  19. object — to protest
  20. key — for a lock
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. foot — a measure

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