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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. key — in music
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bear — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. degree — an amount
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — a company
  15. court — for sport
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. degree — temperature
  18. court — of a king
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. court — of law
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — steady
  24. bear — to put up with

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