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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bound — tied together
  6. key — the most important part
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. court — of a king
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bound — certain
  11. rock — music
  12. rule — a law
  13. key — in music
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. snap — to click
  17. key — for a lock
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rule — government
  23. bound — obliged
  24. tear — from crying

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