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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 120 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rest — a break
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. staff — employees
  7. face — part of the head
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. staff — employees
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rest — what's left
  12. staff — a stick
  13. key — in music
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. face — to confront
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lash — an eyelash

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