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

Word bank: club · chest · key · safe · lash · pass · wave · staff

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. club — for golf
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. staff — employees
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — of your body
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. club — for dancing
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chest — a box
  19. club — a group
  20. key — in music
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. staff — employees
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. key — for a lock

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