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

Word bank: band · dip · key · fork · mouse · mate · deal · lash

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fork — in a road
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. dip — to sink
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. band — a ring
  13. mate — a friend
  14. deal — to handle
  15. band — a music group
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lash — an eyelash

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