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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. sharp — clever
  4. toast — bread
  5. key — in music
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. mug — to rob
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bound — certain
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — government
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bound — obliged
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mug — a cup
  21. key — for a lock
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. sharp — exactly

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