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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.

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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: pit · spell · bowl · ruler · kid · mate · lash · key

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. spell — a short time
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. kid — child
  6. key — in music
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mate — a partner
  11. spell — magic
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. kid — to tease
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spell — letters
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mate — to breed
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. ruler — for measuring

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