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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. last — final
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — in music
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rash — a series
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pop — music
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. last — finally
  21. pop — soda
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. last — to go on

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