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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. key — for a lock
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cell — a phone
  5. craft — a skill
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. scale — size or range
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. key — in music
  12. cell — in biology
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. craft — boats
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. date — the fruit
  18. scale — in music
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. coach — a trainer

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