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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. foot — a measure
  3. key — the most important part
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cap — a lid
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rash — hasty
  15. cap — of ice
  16. season — of the year
  17. key — for a lock
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cap — a hat
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. season — in sport
  24. patient — a sick person

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