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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cell — a phone
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rock — music
  6. ground — a position
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. staff — a stick
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. staff — employees
  13. ground — the earth
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bank — for money
  18. foot — a measure
  19. cell — in biology
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bank — of a river
  22. key — in music
  23. bank — for money
  24. staff — employees

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