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

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. drill — the tool
  3. key — the most important part
  4. drill — army training
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — a stick
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. drill — a practice
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. staff — employees
  16. ball — a great time
  17. key — for a lock
  18. staff — employees

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