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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. file — a line of people
  4. face — to point toward
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. face — to confront
  7. kid — to tease
  8. key — the most important part
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. face — part of the head
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. suit — in cards
  19. key — in music
  20. kid — child
  21. file — a tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. file — a document
  24. suit — clothes

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