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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. present — there
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. key — in music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. present — a gift
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. key — for a lock
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. ball — a dance
  17. present — the time now
  18. fall — to drop
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. key — the most important part
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fall — the season
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ball — a great time

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