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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. present — the time now
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wind — moving air
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wind — moving air
  9. key — the most important part
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — a contest
  14. present — there
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fine — all right
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fine — high quality
  21. key — in music
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. present — a gift

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