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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. key — in music
  6. club — a group
  7. key — for a lock
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. track — a path
  13. club — for golf
  14. pound — a weight
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. track — to keep track
  19. kick — in football
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. track — a song
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — to hit hard

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