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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. net — after costs
  3. charge — a price
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. key — the most important part
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. net — in sport
  9. craft — boats
  10. mate — to breed
  11. charge — in control
  12. mate — a partner
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mate — a friend
  15. key — in music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bulb — for light
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. net — for catching
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bulb — for light

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