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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. land — a country
  4. land — to come down
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — a face
  13. key — in music
  14. cue — for pool
  15. content — the amount
  16. key — for a lock
  17. land — ground
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. content — happy
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — the most important part
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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