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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 116 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: dip · fan · lash · court · pop · pass · key · straw

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. court — for sport
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pop — music
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pop — to visit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — of law
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. court — of a king
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. key — the most important part
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pop — soda

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