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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. staff — employees
  3. content — the amount
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pound — a weight
  9. content — happy
  10. staff — employees
  11. net — after costs
  12. ball — a dance
  13. net — for catching
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. key — in music
  16. staff — a stick
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. ball — a great time
  23. net — in sport
  24. patient — a sick person

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