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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. key — for a lock
  4. track — a path
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. capital — money
  7. key — in music
  8. firm — steady
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. capital — a city
  14. game — a match
  15. firm — decided
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a trace
  18. track — a song
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. game — wild animals
  21. key — the most important part
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. mark — a grade
  24. firm — a company

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