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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. key — in music
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cue — for pool
  7. chest — of your body
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. cue — a hint
  12. chest — a box
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cue — a signal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rule — government
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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