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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · chair · lash · pass · perch · bore · last · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fine — all right
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fine — high quality
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. last — to go on
  7. pass — a permit
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. last — finally
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. key — in music
  16. chair — a leader
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. last — final

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