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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.

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: stick · key · wake · ruler · track · lean · fine · lash

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a song
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fine — all right
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. lean — thin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lean — to bend
  17. track — a path
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. key — the most important part

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