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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. land — to come down
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rash — a series
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fork — in a road
  14. key — for a lock
  15. land — a country
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. key — in music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. land — ground
  21. pop — music
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pop — soda

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