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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fine — all right
  3. mark — a grade
  4. key — in music
  5. clip — for paper
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. clip — a video
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. clip — to cut
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. key — the most important part
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. key — for a lock
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mark — a trace
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fine — high quality

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