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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. pop — to visit
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. charge — in control
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. key — in music
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — help
  19. pop — music
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pit — in a race
  22. hand — in cards
  23. pop — soda
  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