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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. drill — army training
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wind — moving air
  10. key — the most important part
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — in control
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. charge — a price
  23. wind — moving air
  24. key — in music

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