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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: key · lash · wave · last · spell · foot · present · fine

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. spell — a short time
  3. present — there
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. key — in music
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. last — finally
  12. fine — high quality
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. last — final
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. spell — letters
  18. key — the most important part
  19. last — to go on
  20. fine — all right
  21. present — the time now
  22. spell — magic
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. foot — a measure

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