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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rush — hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. deal — to handle
  13. key — for a lock
  14. club — for golf
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. key — in music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rash — a series

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