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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. ground — a position
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. cell — a phone
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. key — in music
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rash — a series
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rash — hasty

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