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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. race — a contest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spring — a coil
  14. key — in music
  15. race — the arms race
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. key — the most important part
  18. spring — the season
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. charge — a price
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. spring — of water
  24. race — humankind

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