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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — rain
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — to wash
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pit — in a race
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. key — the most important part
  24. sharp — clever

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