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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.

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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. key — in music
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rule — government
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rule — a law
  18. hide — animal skin

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