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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
468
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: spell · lash · toast · mug · chest · pit · fan · key

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. spell — magic
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. spell — a short time
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pit — in a race
  14. key — in music
  15. spell — letters
  16. chest — of your body
  17. toast — bread
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. chest — of your body

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