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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. prune — to trim
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. key — the most important part
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. key — in music
  16. charge — a price
  17. ball — a great time
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stand — to bear
  20. charge — in control
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a dance
  23. prune — to trim
  24. squash — to crush

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