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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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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 · pass · spell · face · wake · clip · fork · key

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. clip — for paper
  3. spell — letters
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. clip — a video
  8. face — part of the head
  9. key — in music
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wake — a trail
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. spell — magic

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