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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. key — for a lock
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. key — in music
  6. game — a match
  7. root — the cause
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a word
  11. drill — army training
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. drill — the tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. drill — a practice
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. key — the most important part
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. root — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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