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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 120 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: lash · ball · arm · rest · mate · key · suit · mug

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — for a lock
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. key — the most important part
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ball — a great time
  14. key — in music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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