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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: rest · key · swing · chip · mouse · object · cabinet · lash

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. object — a thing
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. swing — to play on
  15. object — to protest
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. object — an aim
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rest — a break
  24. key — in music

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