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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pass — a permit
  3. key — for a lock
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fall — to drop
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — in music
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. suit — clothes
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. squash — to crush
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. key — the most important part

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