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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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cue — a hint
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — for a lock
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. key — the most important part
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fall — the season
  17. rock — music
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. season — in sport

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