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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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. track — a song
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. track — a path
  5. rule — a law
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. key — for a lock
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. court — of law
  15. tube — a container
  16. track — to keep track
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. court — for sport
  19. key — the most important part
  20. court — of a king
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. key — in music
  24. bass — low music

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