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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. file — a tool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. suit — clothes
  6. key — the most important part
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bore — to tire
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. swing — to play on
  12. suit — to fit
  13. file — a document
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bore — to drill
  17. perch — the fish
  18. swing — in golf
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. swing — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. file — a line of people

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