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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ball — a great time
  3. key — for a lock
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. key — in music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. row — a line
  18. fall — to drop
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ball — a dance

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