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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. suit — to fit
  3. key — for a lock
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. craft — a skill
  8. suit — clothes
  9. key — the most important part
  10. craft — boats
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. key — in music
  17. rule — government
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rule — a law

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