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

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. cue — a hint
  3. object — a thing
  4. tear — from crying
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. key — the most important part
  7. object — to protest
  8. cue — for pool
  9. key — for a lock
  10. tear — from crying
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. firm — decided
  14. tear — to rip
  15. object — an aim
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a list
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — a signal
  21. key — in music
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. patient — a sick person

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