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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. firm — decided
  3. march — music
  4. key — in music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. march — the month
  8. key — the most important part
  9. firm — a company
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. march — the month
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rule — government
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rule — a law
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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