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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.

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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: cabinet · key · nail · coach · lash · mark · bay · rule

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. key — in music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rule — government
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. key — for a lock
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rule — a law
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cabinet — ministers

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