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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wound — an injury
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — in music
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. face — to point toward
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. fine — all right
  13. rock — music
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. prune — to trim
  16. face — to confront
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wound — an injury
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. prune — to trim

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