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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. file — a document
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — clothes
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. suit — in cards
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. suit — to fit
  15. snap — to click
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music

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