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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. key — for a lock
  3. hand — help
  4. suit — clothes
  5. key — the most important part
  6. march — music
  7. key — in music
  8. court — of a king
  9. march — the month
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. march — the month
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hand — in cards
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. court — of law
  20. pop — soda
  21. dip — to sink
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. court — for sport

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