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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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Word bank
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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chest — a box
  3. drill — the tool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. drill — army training
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chest — of your body
  10. drill — a practice
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. chest — of your body
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — the cause
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. key — for a lock

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